GRENADA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R001604070015-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 27, 2007
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: October 14, 1982
• Content Type: FORM

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Central Intelligence Agency
c
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
1 October 1982
GRENADA: Cuban-Soviet Outpost in the Eastern Caribbean
Summary
Grenada has become the focal point of efforts by the Cubans and Soviets
to expand their influence in the eastern Caribbean. Until now, Havana has
taken the lead in attempting to make the island a showcase of Cuban-aided
development, but Moscow has begun to enlarge its presence now that the
People's Revolutionary Government has survived for more than three years. All
evidence points toward Grenada becoming in the eastern Caribbean what
Nicaragua has become in Central America--a revolutionary protege of the
communist countries.
Cuba, the USSR, and other socialist regimes have increased their
assistance to Bishop's government to help prop it up in the face of adverse
economic trends. Havana and Moscow are stepping up training and aid to
Grenada's armed forces at a level far beyond the legitimate security needs of
such a small island. We judge that the principal objectives of the military
buildup are:
. . to check any external threats to the Bishop regime and oppose
internal insurrection.
. to establish Grenada as a training site for revolutionary-minded
radical groups from neighboring islands.
. to provide an operational base enabling the Cubans and Soviets to
exploit Pishop's government and serve their own interests.
This memorandum was prepared for the Assistant Secretary for Inter-American
Affairs by of the Middle America-Caribbean Division, of the Office of
African an Latin American Analysis. It contains information available through 30
September 1982, and was coordinated with the Office of Soviet Analysis, the Office
of Near East and South Asian Analysis, the Office of Global Issues, and the National
Intelligence Officer for Latin America. Questions and comments are welcome and
should be directed to Chief, Middle America-Caribbean Division, 25X1
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Steady Military Buildup
Both the Cubans and the Soviets publicly disclaim any
strategic interest in Grenada, but clearly their growing
investment suggests a desire to expand their presence. Indeed,
Grenadian officials--including Prime Minister Bishop--have
alluded openly to a willingness to facilitate Cuban and Soviet
military use of the huge new airport being constructed with
Havana's help at Point Salines.
Soviet involvement with Grenada took a significant stride
forward during Bishop's July visit to the USSR. In addition to
its modest aid package--and possibly agreement on security
assistance--Moscow offered to conduct a feasibility study for a
deep water port at Grenville on the east coast of the island.
Meanwhile, Cuba is out front in*expeditin the steady
expansion of Grenada's military capabilities.
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The Airport: Havana's Showplace Project
Cuba has funded almost half of the $80 million airport
project on the southern part of the island--providing
construction and technical personnel as well as heavy equipment
and materiel. We estimate that the Cuban presence has increased
steadily to its current level of about 700, but several hundred
of these are construction workers who will soon be returning to
Cuba following a normal rotation. About 300 to 400 Cubans are
working on the airport runway and the new terminal building.
The first half of the 3,200 meter airport runway is almost
finished and has already been used by Prime Minister Bishop's
private aircraft. This 1,600-meter section of runway will be
capable of handling Cuban AN-26 transports as well as MIG-17,
MIG-21, and MIG-23 fighters. When the airport is completed,
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probably by 1984, it will be able to handle the largest
commercial jets and many of the large transports in the Soviet
inventory.
Cuba could use Grenada as a staging base for rapid
deployment of troops if it decided to intervene on behalf of
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Radio Free Grenada: Havana's Mouthpiece?
Havana has not neglected the propaganda front. Cuba gave
Grenada a new 75 KW medium wave radio transmitter which began
operations earlier this year. With Cuban help, studio and
transmission facilities are being upgraded and Grenadian
personnel are being trained in Cuba.
Technical problems have delayed the station from reaching
full power, but it is now becoming audible on neighboring
islands. When it reaches full power, we expect the new
transmitter to beam propaganda throughout the Lesser Antilles
during daytime hours and at night throughout the Caribbean and
into south Florida and Venezuela. Prensa Latina, a Cuban press
and propaganda agency, has opened a bureau in St. Georges and
provides a special English-language press transmission that
probably is used for radio broadcasts.
The Soviets will also have their own operational base in
Grenada with the establishment of an embassy there last month.
Soviet Ambassador Sazhenev has wide experience in the Americas
and will take an active role in cultivating Grenadians as well as
regional leftists.
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Support for Radical Movements
Both Havana and Moscow strongly endorse Grenada's
sponsorship of regional meetings to expand links with labor,
youth, journalists, and women's groups. Funds, staffing, and
equipment needs have been donated by Cuba to facilitate such
gatherings. Grenada is preparing to host a conference of anti-
imperialist youth and students from the Caribbean in March 1983
which will be sponsored by communist front groups, including the
Soviet-dominated World Federation of Democratic Youth.
Bishop is worried
about a possible move the regional organization to expel his
country when Caribbean heads of state convene in Jamaica during
mid-November. Grenada's headlong thrust into the Cuban-Soviet
camp has been disconcerting to its democratic neighbors, who are
apprehensive about;the growing ideological polarization and
possible plans by Bishop to export his revolution.
.In addition to the Cuban and Soviet presence, the Libyans
are becoming more active now that they have an embassy in
Grenada.
Looking Ahead
Grenada seems increasingly likely to become a disruptive
influence in the eastern Caribbean. Bishop and his small coterie
of radicals are firmly in control of the island and have moved
solidly to align themselves with the Cubans.and Soviets. The
short-term strategy.of Havana and Moscow apparently is to make
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the smallest investment necessary to prop up Bishop's regime
economically and to strengthen his security forces sufficiently
to deter internal dissent. Over the longer run, they probably
hope to take advantage of the steady economic deterioration in
the region and to recruit followers from among the large pool of
unemployed youth--many of whom are impatient for change.
raining and arming insurgents,'the threat of illegal takeovers
would grow--particularly among the weak ragmented ministates
of the eastern Caribbean.
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SUBJECT: Grenada: Curban-Soviet Outpost in the Eastern
Caribbean
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