ARGENTINE ECONOMIC PENETRATION IN CUBA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R001900640004-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 27, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 12, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION s:~.c?~
Approved CENTRAL 200_IM 1M ONCE AG~PICY 82-00457QP8QO~a
1N FO R M AT 1011'-I0R'S
COUNTRY Cuba/Argontinia ?hNFDNT1AL
1 DATE DISTR.
12 October 1948
SUBJECT Argentine conomic Penetration in Cuba
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
25X1X
1.
b
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
In pursuance of a plan sponsored by Presid-nt Teron and the Argentine govern-
ment, efforts allegedly will be made to create markets for Argentine industry
and trade in the Caribbean area, South America and Canada. Senator Diego iuis
Molinari, leading member of the Argentine delegation to the 'avana international
Trade Organization (ITO) Conference who remained in Cuba after the conference
was over, entered into negotiations with the Banco Nunez. Allegedly, a partner-
ship understanding was entered into on a fifty-fifty basis,
On 8 April 1948 a preliminary contract was signed by the banl and ';:olinarl.
25X1A Comment. Prior to this, on 2 April an agreement had been signed by the
authorities of the free Dort of ?stanzas and the Argentines nrovrieing funds
for a study of the uses of the port and the erection of necessary buildings.)
2. Accordini- to 17erd Fio Arturo Alvarez, a former secretary of t1,e Argentine
delegation to the ITO who presently represents tle Comi?-e de "studios de
Almacenes de la Zona : ranca de '.'atanzas, the Argentine corporat' nn established
by rolinari's agreement a nears tr represent the private interests of Iresident
Peron and not the Argentine state. The agreement which was entered into on
8 April 19.68 is a private agreement. The Artentine Ambassador to Cuba at the
time had no knowledge of the stars beingta'7en by his government.
3. Under the agreement of 8 April, freezer and storage plans will be built in
the 7'atanzas free port, as well as bond'stores and. new wharfage facilities.
Funds will be established for this purrose by the corroratinn.
4. Alvarez claims that the Argentines who are advising 'eron are of the opin4on
that the 'rnited States foreign policy in Latin America is ineffective, and
harmful to the interests of the South American republics. :according to these
advisors, the united States has been especial.l,? unsuccessful-in labor matters
and in the improvement of the standard of living of type Latin Americans.
5. Peron and his followers believe that South America should become neither
communistic nor capitalistic and that the Argentine republic has an hisstcric
mission to fulfill in South America which cannot be fulfilled by the .Jnited
States. Peron has been advised that the foreign rolicy of the United States
in Latin America will create a pro.-Pussian symrathy among the common People
and will dovelop a more serious situation in Latin America. in order to
counter-balance the efforts of the united States, 1-eron decided that private
Argentine capital should be utilized to create a corr.oration which would
overate all over the South American continent and in the United States. The
lAl in accordance with the
letter of 1(3 October 1978 from the
Director of
t3
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 Approved For Release 2001/11/23 : CIA-RDP82-00457R001900640004-1.:
CENTRAL 7'1 TF:L.LX^RNCE AGE TCY
25X1A
corporation allegedly will act as a good will agency and at the same tire will
create prestige for Argentina and will open new markets for Argentine industry
25X1A and agriculture. Gor, ent. Source pointed out that for these reasons
i-nlinarl flew to Canada, as well as to New Orleans, to obtain operational areas
for the corporation.)
6. Reportedly, money is no obstacle, as t1e Argentine government is nuietly
surnorting the entire enterprise. The experiment will proceed for one or
two years even if no money is received from the current investments. In the
case of a third 4orld :Var t',ey feel that United States influence will shrink
and at that tine a strong and neutral Argentina will step in and take over
in the vacuum thus created.
7. At the present time, all Preparations have been of an economic nature,
iowever,
political steps will betaken when it is determined that the appropriate time
has arrived. instructions have been received by the Comite de Fstud_os do
Almucenes de la Zona Franca de Matanzas not to take any steps which might irritate
the inited States government. Particularly, the Argentine government allegedly
doe? not wish to alarm the United States meat and wheat interests. The Argentine
irov!rnment is not so eager to export large shipments of goods but allegedly is
mor< interested in the creation of a slowly-growing pro-Argentine sentiment in
the Cuban population.
8. A repot Prepared by the Argentine Consul in Havana, Cr. Jorge teonardi y
Iapouole, indicated that the Argentines intend to establish a very large trade
zone in Matanzas to contain, among other things, silos for wheat and facilities
for Packing meat, and a flour still.
25X1X 9, original plans for the economic penetration of Cuba included
the establishment of a Cuban-Argentine Bank of the Antilles at a capital of
five million dollars. Two million five hundred thousand dollars were to be
provided by the Argentine interests and the balance by Cuban interests, The
bank, which was to be in operation by the and of June 1948, was to be operated
by a former high official of the Argentine Central Bank. Although Volinari did
arrive in Cuba in June, the bank is not in operation. During June, two and
one-half million dollars were received by the National City Bank of New York,
Favana, Branch, by draft and deposited subsenuently in the Banco Nunez.
10. Alvarez advised that followinf, meetings in New York on 6 August 1948 between a
group of Cuban capitalists and interested Argentines the date of the orening
of the Cuban-Argentine Banc, of the Antilles in -iavana would be announced. as
well as the nature of the improvements to be made in the free port of \atanzas?
On 8 Au.ust 1948 source was advised that the work was prorressing slowly
because the United States was creating many difficulties for the Cubans.
Approved For Release 2001/1"1
-RDP82,-00457A001-9