CUBA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A001200040038-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 8, 2002
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: March 31, 1960
• Content Type: BRIEF

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NSC BRIEFING 31 March .1960
X. Trend continues toward Cuba's' becoming base for Communist activity
in rest of Latin America.
A. Communists or pro-Communists from at least 15 of the other 19
Latin American countries were in Havana last week for "Week
of Solidarity With Struggles of Latin American People."
1. Cuban speaker announced plans for a "great Latin American
congress to create the apparatus to fight the common
enemy." (No date set.)
a. Meetings stressed plight of Puerto Rico--"still under
the bondage of the common enemy."
2. Manifesto published 26 March, last day of "Solidarity Week,"
vowed an "anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolution in
all Latin America."
3. Cuban labor leader announced that Cuban groups will leave
on 1 May for other Latin American countries, "to give them
help and to request aid for the Cuban revolution."
a. "Friends of Cuba" societies, virtual Communist fronts,
now identified in 13 Latin American countries.
B. Veteran Communist labor leader Lombardo Toledano of Mexico,
in Havana for "Solidarity Week," reportedly met there with
other labor leaders to prepare constitution for new "inde-
pendent" hemispheric labor movement.
1. An "independent" labor movement to replace discredited
Communist CTAL was planned at clandestine meetings of
Latin American Communists in Moscow early last year.
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 App?ovedlPWM 2 1 1 pt 1 8 014i~4~ mists now
taking place in Cuba and the hemispheric "peace"
conference planned for May or June in Havana were also
parts of program developed at the Moscow meeting.
C. East German newspaperman says Cuba and GDR will exchange
permanent trade missions in next two months, after which it
will be easy for GDR to open "ambassadorial" office in
Havana for Latin America similar to one it has in Egypt.
D. Meanwhile, Cuban TV commentator Luis Conte Aguero, whose anti-
Communist broadcasts drew expressions of approval from thousands
of Cubans, announced 26 March he forced to give up broadcasts
because of charges that he was sowing division in the revolu-
tion. (He has since gone into asylum in Argentine embassy.)
1. Broadcasts had led to riots on 25 March between pro- and
anti-Communist students.
2. Cuba's last independent TV channel likely to be seized by
regime following 30 March freezing of bank accounts of owner
of best known radio-TV network.
Il. Efforts to whip up anti-US fervor continue, with emphasis on alleged
threat of US-directed invasion.
A. Speeches by Fidel and Faul Castro on 27 March obviously intended
to give impression invasion is virtual certainty.
1. Both insisted Cuba will not be "another Guatemala," and
both referred to "volunteers" in other countries.
a. Raul said: "Brigades of volunteers to defend the Cuban
revolution are forming in Venezuela and Bolivia because
these people know that by defending the Cuban revolution
they are defending the LA revolution. They know...Cuba
is the first nation to start the second revolution."
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1. The "first revolution" was for independence from
Spain and Portugal; the "second" is against US
"imperialism."
b. Other reports have mentioned groups in Venezuela and
Chile volunteering to fight in Cuba against expected
"imperialist aggression."
B. Foreign Minister Roa, in 24 March TV appearance, charged US has
had designs on Cuba ever since Pres. Jefferson's 1805 statement
that US would seize Cuba in the event of an Anglo-Spanish war.
C. Sugar workers' delegates meeting on 26 March accepted freeze in
wages and said they would even accept wage reductions if
necessitated by "the aggression which the imperialistic forces
of international reaction are preparing."
III. In 27 March speech, Fidel Castro reiterated his complete rejection
of all forms of private investments as help in solving Cuba's
economic and social problems.
A. Moa Bay nickel mining and refining company (valued at $75 million
a subsidiary of Freeport Sulphur Co.) plans to close down by 8
April if Cuban financial restrictions not eased.
IV. Meanwhile, defections of Castro officers continue.
A. Naval attache in Mexico and two aides defected 25 March.
B. Capt. Chinea, commander of air base in Pinar del Rio, and two
other officers defected and took asylum in Brazilian embassy on
23 March.
1. Before going to Brazilian embassy, Chinea told a US embassy
officer that although discontent is spreading, especially
among junior officers, there is still no cohesion because
of the lack of a leader and rallying point.
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