CUBAN SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000400170023-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 23
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7
The Castro regime i continuing to play a uuixitantial
role in training and advising a number of African t3 .tre fist
c rg vization s an well an giving assistance to a nsaiber of
rad:,. al African governments. Fidel Castro has been ia-
pressed with the revolutionary milieu of Africa since rat
least 1961 when the Cubars provided guerrilla rf ire
it i.u .ug to some, African extremist groups.
east two probable reasons for Castro's
..n African affairs. Such activity serves
e his credentials as the self-proclaimed leader
.uti-.imperialist forces of the underdeveloped
d. r Moreover, friendly ties with like-minded reginens
help Cuba avoid the pinch of world-wide diplo-
. se shore of Lace Tanganyika. Their training ap-
parently paid divide s, the rebels showed greater skill
in paramilitary operations than previously.
Cuban training of Congolese dissidents apparently
began in 1961. About 15 Congolese traveled to tuba late
that year or in early 1962, presumably for guerrilla war-
fare training or ideological indoctrination, or both.
About a year ago it was noted that Cuban soldiers had been
participating in ambushes and rebel attacks in the eastern
Congo. An influx of Cubans apparently took place there
last summer., Groups of Cubans arrived in Dar-ea-& elm
in late August and early September 1965.
Salaam in late December and early January. The Cubans
in November 1905; a large number of Cubans left Dar-es-
The Cuban military personnel in the Congo ap-
parently were pulled out after the series of rebel defeats
I as the Chinese Communists have offered to train
some exiled Congolese rebels from the fiction headed by
Gaston umiaiot., However, Sow atalot and his followers
are shying away from armed action and appear to be con-
centrating on building a wall-trained sod disciplined
Congolese cadre-in-exile.,
-3-
Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7
 Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7
rtuY Mese Africa
' Yi.. Y..YYlpW Y.r~es
Cuba first began to assist Angolan exiles
through Agostinho to, head of the Popular Movement for
the Liberation of Angola (UPIA), one of the two principal
Angolan nationalist groups. Havana's support to the has consisted of the assign nt of Cuban personnel in XNA
the
Congo (Brazzaville) as guerrilla warfare instructors. Re-
cently, some BTU members went to Cuba, presumably for
military training or indoctrination. Agostinho Nato was
in Cuba in March 1966 soliciting material assistance from
Cuban leaders.
low
Portuguese Guluesaa rebel leader Amilcar Cabral
ipp nay also have received assistance and train-
he Cubans in recent months. His organization is
ad normally receives its arms through Guinea.
hip is known to have offloaded nili-
least
terry equipment a
the arms were doe
kry during the second week of June;
fined for the rebels in Portuguese Guinea.
Occasional reports suggest the Cubans are making
efforts to gain influence in the Mozambique nationalist
movements, the Mozambique Liberation `rant (LIB)} and
the Revolutionary C;zittee of rzaabique ( ) .
it would not be surprising if efforts were be-
ing made by Mvana to improve relations with Algiers.
The fall of Ben Bella in June 1965 was the biggest set-
back Cuba has suffered ir Africa. The Ben Bella regime
was Cuba's strongest African supporter and cooperated
closely with the Castro regime in assisting African ex-
tremist groups. Castro bitterly denounced the l3ouzmediene
coup. gelations between the two countries have remained
nee the coup.
However, the Cubans have maintained a team of
medical officers ..n Algeria. The Cuban delegation which
attended Algeria's indepeudauce day celebrations on 5 July
reportedly pressed Algerian officials for a strengthening
of Cuban-Algerian friendship. The umediene regime has
reciprocated by sending a delegation to Cuba for the 28
July celebrations. In addition, Jorge Serguera, Cuba's
former ambassador to Algeria who was sent to the Congo
;ville) in July 1:5, has recently returned to
Algiers. There are still hitches in Cuban--Alger i asp
tions, but a rapprochement may be effected.
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 Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7
Executive Reginiry
10 August 1966
Mr. Donald Ropa
The White House
Attached per your recent request is a
sanitized version of an OCI memorandum on
Cuban Subversive Activities in Africa.
The text accurately reflects our assess-
ment of the facts of the situation. However,
since I understand that it may be passed to
the press, I strongly recommend that the text
be checked out with the Department of State
to make certain that public disclosure of
these facts is desirable from a political
viewpoint.
Sincerely yours,
R. J. Smith
Deputy Director for Intelligence
Attachment: a/s
O/DDI yd(10 Aug 66)
Distr u ion:
Orig - Addressee w/O&2 atts
d-"- DCI w/att
1 - Col Grogan w/att
1 - OCI w/att
1 - DDI w/att
1 - Exec w/att
Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7
 Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7
Approved For Release 2006/09/21: CIA-RDP80BO1676R000400170023-7