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[7]| 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 |
[9]aia tee
[13]MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
[15]SUBJECT: Meeting with AMBANG-1
[17]1. I met with AMBANG-1 on 27 July 1963 in Miami.
[18]The following is a resume of the business transacted at that
[19]meeting.
[21]a. Request for High Explosives
[23]AMBANG-]) stated that in view of my outline
[24]of strategic targets inside Cuba during our last meeting which
[25]took place in Washington on 2) June 1963, he had decided to
[26]attempt a sabotage operat on against the Havana power plant,
[27]He informed me that he has a man employed in the power plant
[28]in Havana who is capable of launching thie operation. In this
[29]connection AMBANG-! asked if we coutd make available twenty
[30]pounds of high explosives as well as six to eight thermite grenades.
[31]AMBANG-1 asked if it were poscible to have the twenty pounds
[32]broken into smaller lots. In our further discussion of this subject,
[33]it became apparent that A-1 would be willing to receive the materiel
[34]either in San Juan or inside Cuba, but that he definitely. preferred
[35]the latter if this were possible. Like in mést other instances during
[36]our conversation, I advised AMBANG-] that I would need to discuss
[37]this matter with my superiors but that J could tentatively assure.
[38]him of our ability and willingness to furnish the high explosives in
[39]San Juan and possibly inside Cuba, At this point I asked AMBANG-1
[41]‘if he could foresee the need for matericl of this type inside Cuba.
[43]I told him that J asked this question because if his group were
[44]prepared now or in the near future for meaningful sabotage action
[45]inside Cuba it was conceivable that we could begin the caching of
[46]needed materiel inside Cuba. AMBANG-1 assured me that they
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[51]tie |
[53]re a
[59]OM RIO INE OEP HEE OBER coal ASPEN oon
[61]were in a position to sabotage the electrical plant in Havana. (I
[63]did not ask, neither did he specify which plant.) He did not promise
[64]immediate action, adding that he wanted to assure himself of the
[65]details of the planned operation and the safety-odds of the man
[66]involved. A-] then indicated that he would certainly be in a~
[67]position to accomplish this mission and others in the future and
[68]would be most grateful for any materiel we could put in place.
[70]I left the matter with him with the understanding that if it were
[72]possible we would proceed with caching the high explosives in
[74]the general area of Havana, He assured me of their capability
[75]to service and retrieve the cache.
[77]b. Request for Contact in Guantanamo
[79]AMBANG-1 asked me if it would be possible for ue
[80]to arrange some means for Rogelio Cisneros to visit Guatanamo
[81]and talk to his brother who is an employee of the Naval Base and
[82]another agent of theirs likewise employed there. The reason A-l
[83]gave for the request was that they wished to inform Ramon Cisneros
[84]Diaz of the JURE plans to begin the implementation of their plan
[85]of resistance and overthrow of the Castro Regime. JI advised A-1
[86]that whereas J would lock into this matter as I could tentatively
[87]tell him that the chances of accomplishing this were remote,
[89]c. AMBANG-) Political Plans
[91]AMBANG-1 informed me that he was planning at
[92]this time to be in New York on or about 10 August and that following
[93]this trip he intended to go to Santo Domingo and Caracas, In Santo
[94]Domingo he hoped te set up a smal) base for operations such as a
[95]small] house on a farm near the shore which could be used for boat
[96]travel to Cuba. Once he had made such arrangements he intended
[97]to talk to President Juan Bosch telling him of the plan and asking
[98]his acquiescence if not support. AMBANG-1 intends to tell Bosch
[99]that he will not embarrass him and will go about his business in a
[100]secure and professional manner adding that if he should embarrass
[101]Bosch, the latter could disclaim him and ‘A-! would desist from
[102]any further activity there. :
[104]So far as AMBANG-]'s trip to Caracas is concerned, that
[105]will be principally devoted to orienting the JURE representation
[107]bee
[109]14-0000
[111]eee Veen
[113]ce rere a
[115]EAL ER waa
[117]in that city. In addition, AMBANG-1 will attempt to see and talk
[118]to Venezuelan Government officials including President Betancourt.
[120]Some time after this trip AMBANG-] intends to visit
[121]Central America principally Costa Rica and if he can procure a
[122]visa, Mexico, The purpose of all his travel is the raising of funds,
[123]the general tightening of his organization and discussions neccessary
[124]to coordinate their efforts.
[126]d. Isolation of Cuba.
[128]AMBANG-1 made it exceedingly clear that the
[129]lifeline to his assets inside Cuba had been severely restricted
[130]when PAA flights were suspended. Nothing could suit AMBANG-}
[131]more than to have these flights resumed. AMBANG-1's obviously
[132]great interest in the resumption of these flights was the most eloquent
[133]statement yet of his belief that he has a network, or that he can
[134]revive a network within Cuba. At least at this stage of JURE
[135]operations, AMBANG-1 does not appear to consider the infiltration
[136]of manpower as necessary.
[138]AMBANG-I stated that the use of flights from Spain and
[139]Mexico to Cuba was difficult and costly whereas the Miami-Havana
[140]run had been most useful in maintaining contact within Cuba, It |
[141]was AMBANG-I's opinion that the resumption of PAA flights would
[142]be an operational booém to JURE and that whereas he could see
[143]Castro making some, political capital out of the flights, he believed
[144]that some appropriate statement such as "there is no political
[145]significance but only’ a humanitarian and compassionate reason for
[146]the reestablishment of this link," would be sufficient to negate any
[148]political advantage by Castro.
[150]e. AMBANG-1 Phasing Out of his Employment
[152]AMBANG-1 gave me to believe that he is closing shop
[153]and giving up his position with the Corporacion de Renovacion Urbana:
[154]y Viviendas where he is employed as an engineer in charge. of: building
[155]pre-cast concrete houses, AMBANG-! stated that during the past
[156]week Governor Munoz Marin gave final authority for.the erection
[157]of a plant to produce these houses in Puerto Rica. AMBANG-1 is
[159]eeeet |
[161]oo,
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[165]Meeene
[167]-$-
[169]torn with the thought of leaving this project which he believes
[170]will be most successful, and which would assure his livelhood,
[171]but he knows that he must devote himself to the fight against
[172]Castro, It is obvious to me that AMBANG-1 will within the next
[173]two months phase out of this employment to devote full time to
[174]the liberation of Cuba, .
[176]1
[177]{. A JURE Radio Link
[179]AMBANG-] asked me if J] would be able to assist
[180]him in the establishment of a San Juan-Caracas-Miami radio link.
[181]He explained that the JURE has spent a great deal of money on
[182]telephonic communications between these points and were most
[183]anxious to set up a means of radio communication in order to
[184]economize. I guess that AMBANG-! could tell from my reaction
[185]that I was not too sympathetic to his request for he withdrew it
[186]almost as soon as he had made it. He went on to say that this
[187]was a problem which they could overcome and I presume that he
[188]will seek to establish such radio communications without our
[190]assistance,
[192]g. Aerial Maps of Cuba
[194]AMBANG-] informed me that the JURE membership
[195]had brought out of Cuba an entire series of maps showing key roads,
[196]bridges, industrial plants, et al, which they had copied by the Aero
[197]Service Corporation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, AMBANG-1
[198]stated that they had received most of these photos from the Aero
[199]Service Corporation but that the 101 were still missing. He gave
[200]me the numbers of those missing and asked if we could procure them.
[201]Ihave since informed AMBANG-] that it would perhaps be best it
[202]he could, or his organization, do this instead but that we would
[203]pay the travel of one of his men, should this prove necessary,-
[204]Attached, hereto, is a copy of the missing photos in question.
[206]h, JURE Organization and Strength
[208]AMBANG-1 informed me that the membership of the
[209]JURE in San Juan was now at about 500 members andthat each
[210]of these individuals makes a weekly contributionto the organization,
[212]|
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[216]“Ty
[218]-$-
[220]In addition there are large JURE organizations in Caracas, Venezucla
[221]and Dallas, Texas. There are according to AMBANG-! a total
[223]of thirty delegations in Latin America, the U.S: A. and Europe.
[225]He cited ae an example the delegation in San Francisco which had
[226]recently purchased a typewriter through the collection of green
[227]etamps. He added that Rogelio Cisneros had travelled to San
[228]Francisco some time ago to communicate with that group and to
[229]tighten its organizational activities,
[231]i. AMBANG-1 Asks About ARTIME and the Activities _
[232]in Central America
[234]AMBANG-! raised the question of Manuel ARTIME's
[235]activities in Central America and particularly in Nicaragua. He
[236]stated that any association with Somoza would not help in creating
[237]the mistique and political coloration necessary to inspire revolution
[238]and resistance from the non-Communists elements in Cuba. Whereas,
[239]J had expected AMBANG-! to go into a long harangue aa to the
[240]positive damage that ARTIME's actions with Semoza could cause,
[241]he left the matter at about this point. I agreed that the Somozas did not
[242]have a Jiberal political reputation throughout Latin America, but
[243]added that whatever Cubans ca: ld do from that or any vantage point
[244]against Communism in Cuba would in my estimation be helpful, --
[245]while Iam sure AMBANG-1! did not agree with me, he did not say
[246]60, In respect to ARTIME and Miro Cardona, whose name entered
[247]into the conversation later, AMBANG-} took a fairly objective view.
[248]He stated that Miro had arrived in San Juan and that he wished him
[249]the best aé he figured he had suffered enough. Insofar as ARTIME
[250]was concerned I gathered that AMBANG-1 might feel that the associ-
[252]_ ation with Somoza would not do ARTIME any good in a post-Castro
[254]Cuba, As AMBANG-1 is convinced that a government after Castro
[255]must be of a progressive liberal stripe, ARTIME was not doing
[256]himeelf any good by identifying himself with the Sornozas,
[258]j. A_List of Cuban Diplomats
[260]As AMBANG-] had asked for a list of Cuban Diplo-
[261]mats abroad while wewere in Paris, l advised him that such a list
[262]had been prepared and we would make it available to him. In this
[263]connection he asked if we could include the addresses of each of the
[264]Cuban installations. Speaking of diplomats, AM BANG-! wanted to
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[272]know if Ambassador Gustavo Arcos had returned from Prague.
[274]1 informed him that I did not know, AMBANG-1 was most interested
[275]to learn that Franqui's' wife and children had actually come out of
[276]Cuba, and indicated that he would intensify his efforts to maintain
[277]contact with Cuban Diplomat Cabrera Infante in Bruaaels as a
[278]means toward the eventual recruitment of Franqul.
[280]k, AMBANG-1 Relation with Jorge Volaky
[282]In conjunction with questions regarding propaganda
[283]sent to Cuba, and the JURE's genera} plans in this field, I asked
[284]A-l about his relation with Jorge Volsky. A-1l stated that he con-
[285]sidered Volsky to be an extremely able, serious newsapaperman.
[286]He added that whereas he saw Voleky frequently on hio trips to
[287]Miami, the latter did not work for him. A-] stated that Volsky's
[288]work was a full-time job which left him little time to do anything
[290]else,
[292]A-) stated that JURE propaganda was produced by a twelve -
[293]man board.
[295]A-1 added that the JURE expected to shortly introduce a
[296]statement on its position into Cuba.
[298]1, AMBANG-] Asks about Two Man Underwater Craft
[300]A-l asked if ] knew anything about a two man type
[301]craft which travels through the water. I presume A-l was talking
[302]about the "sea-sled."' IJ adviged him that I knew little about thig
[303]type craft, but in my opinion its usefulness for the type activity
[304]he had in mind was limited. AMBANG-1 would use this craft for
[305]the final phase of an infiltration effort. A-} stated that this craft
[306]was being used at the hotel beaches in San Juan as a type of aporting
[307]activity, I will advise him that he could pursue this matter himeclf
[308]ae all knowledge on this subject is publicly available. %
[310]2
[312]m. AMBANG-1 Trained in[simple Scorch System |
[314]03
[316]A WAVE technician, Culver Ladd] under the name
[318]of Mr. Lane trained A-} to use a[timple scorch systemJof S/W. A-l
[319]24
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[323]-T7-
[324]was given some eighty pills with which he will be able to make
[325]the "ink" used in this system of S/W. A-)] was pleased with the
[326]oysters, ecpecsaily ate eampiicity. He will use tae system to
[328]communicate with his chief delegate in Paris and undoubtedly
[329]other persons in Cuba as well as in the other JURE delegations, |
[331]n. AMBANG-1 is Writing an Articie for Cuadernos
[333]At the request of German Arcienegas, the famed
[334]Colombian intellectual, A-] is preparing an article which is to be
[335]published in Cuadernos. The article will dea! with the problems
[336]facing Latin America and how they can be resolved. A-1! will be in
[337]select company as Arcienegas has asked a number of prominent
[338]Latin American intellectuals for their views.
[340]0. Communication Between AMBANG-I and Case
[342]Officer
[344]AMBANG-) gave me the following addresees at which
[345]he can be reached:
[347]Corporacion de Renovacicn
[348]Urbana y Viviendas
[350]_ PARADA 3)
[351]Ponce de Leon,
[353]Hato Rey ;
[354]"Puerto Rico Telephone No. 723-1671
[356](NOTE: This is not: AMBANG's office or home, but-that of a
[357]friend who is always able to reach A-}. )
[359]Also: ,
[361]Mr. Jaime Mitrani
[362]1260 W. 61 Place
[363]Hialeah, Florida
[365]AMBANG- “1 was given the following means of
[366]contacting me:
[368]Mr. Alfred Fernandez
[369]P.O. Box 1104, Main Post Office
[370]Washington, D. C. Telephone No. 737-8294
[372]AMBANG-! will use the name "Tony" as a signature in mail
[373]to me, a
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[377]a
[380]2. General Observations
[381]I beleive AMBANG-1 is planning to return to ‘Cuba.
[383]He indicated that he would give the matter serious thought to
[384]even go in, ‘disguised, as a legal traveller if that road were
[385]generally open, i.e., if rather large numbers of travellers were
[386]going in via PAA Nights. This line seemed a bit out of character
[387]tor A-l, for it seems unrealistic and somewhat remindful of Macaulay's
[388]references to the state of mind that exileadevelop, I also detected
[389]what we consider to be a somewhat unrealistic appraisal of the Cuban
[390]Situation in A-1l's estimate that Castro has coneiderably less than
[391]40% of the Cuban people with hira. A-1 may be Josing more than a
[392]little touch with Cuban reality,
[394]fee eee
[396]A-1 remains convinced that he ia on the right track in
[397]working for the eventual overthrow of Castro. He is convinced,
[398]however, that two to three years is all the time left for actually
[399]destroying the Castro regime, belicving that there will be a favorable
[400]turn in the Cuban economic situation by late 1965. A-l is likewise
[401]convinced that Castro cannot add to the improvement of Cuba, to
[402]the contrary that so Jong as the principal decisions are made by
[403]Castro, the general trend will be confusion arising from a failure
[404]to concentrate on specific problems until they are corrected.
[406]ANBANG-1 is likewise convinced that the JURE is building
[407]a political group and general outlook which will have an impact on
[408]Cuba for many years to come. He is especially concerned with the
[409]‘need to carefully consider cach position of his grow in order to
[410]create the lasting impression that JURE knows where it is going
[411]and that its leadership is composed of men who know how to "run"
[412]a country without the false starts, confusion and chaos identified
[414]with the Castro regime.
[416]AMBANG-] is likewise greatly concerned with the necessity
[417]of not creating an impression inside Cuba that the JURE will return
[418]to mete out "justice," It ia essential, A-l states, to convince the
[419]general populace that the overthrow of Castro will not result ina
[420]dloodbath, rather.that the sole aim is to eave the revolution that -
[421]has been betrayed. He is anxious that the people inside Cuba see
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[425]the JURE as a responsible, intelligent and dispassionate group
[427]which is capable of bringing to Cuba all that the revolution promised. f
[428]. u : .
[429]Alfonso Rodriguez
[430]SAS/SO
[431]Distribution:
[432]1 - C/SAS oF
[433]1 - SAS/ Bolten; Heckehers[Amori_{
[434]1 - Chrono
[435]1- RAY File
[436]t
[437]te A
[438]i
[439]i ‘ Pol
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