COMMENTS BY CUBAN OFFICIALS ON 6 OCTOBER CRASH OF CUBANA AIRLINER AND ASSASSINATION OF ORLANDO LETELIER, FORMER CHILEAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05502903
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-01657
• Publication Date: October 29, 1976

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SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
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FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
CITE
DIST 29 OCTOBER 1976
REPORT CLASS SE T-WARNING NOTICE-SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND
METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS-
--DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION
OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR
COUNTRY CUBA/ECUADOR/JAMAICA
DOI
SUBJECT COMMENTS BY CUBAN OFFICIALS ON 6 OCTOBER CRASH OF
CUBANA AIRLINER AND ASSASSINATION OF ORLANDO LETELIER,
FORMER CHILEAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES
ACO
SOURCE
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FIELD NO.
1. JESUSESCANDELROMERO, CHIEF OF INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS OF THE CENTRAL UNION OF CUBAN WORKERS (CTC), AND
ANTONIOLOPEZLAMAS, CTC CHIEF OF LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS, DURING
THEIR VISIT TO ECUADOR FROM 7 TO 14 OCTOBER 1976 TO ATTEND AN
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IN 083172
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PAGE 2 OF PAGES
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT
. SECRET TO CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
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AGENCY (CIA) WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SABOTAGE.
INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE, TOLD LEADERS OF
THE COMMUNIST-DOMINATED CONFEDERATION OF ECUADOREAN WORKERS (CTE)
THAT CUBA IS EAGER TO GET REVENGE FOR THE SABOTAGE OF THE
CUBANA AIRLINES PLANE WHICH CRASHED IN BARBADOS ON 6 OCTOBER
KILLING ALL OF ITS �PASSENGERS. ESCANDEL AND LOPEZ SAID THEY
BELIEVE CUBAN EXILES SPONSORED BY THE U.S. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
COMMENT:
ESCANDEL AND LOPEZ MET WITH JUAN
VASQUEZBASTIDAS, CTE PRESIDENT; JOSECHAVEZ, PRESIDENT
OF THE ECUADOREAN CONFEDERATION OF FREE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
(CEOSL); AND ALBERTOPILALOTOF ECUADOREAN CONFEDERATION OF
WORKERS ORGANIZATIONS (CEDOC). THE CUBANS REQUESTED PUBLIC
SUPPORT FROM THE ECUADOREAN LABOR LEADERS AGAINST THE ALLEGED
CIA SABOTAGE OF THE CUBANA AIRLINES PLANE. THE ECUADOREAN
LABOR LEADERS AGREED TO ISSUE A COMMUNIQUE EXPOSING THE ALLEGED
CIA ACTIONS AGAINST CUBANA AIRLINES.)
2. REGARDING THE ASSASSINATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C., ON 21
SEPTEMBER OF ORLANDOLETELIER, FORMER CHILEAN AMBASSADOR TO
THE U.S., ESCANDEL SAID THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE CURRENT CHILEAN
GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LETELIER'S DEATH. ESCANDEL SAID THAT,
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IN 083172
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FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT
. SECRET TO CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
(closst/toetton) (Mum controls)
ALTHOUGH HE BELIEVES THAT THE CIA PRESENTLY IS INVOLVED IN MANY
PLOTS AND ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ITS POLICY DOES NOT
INCLUDE PERPETUATING SUCH VIOLENT ACTIONS ON U.S. TERRITORY.
ESCANDEL SAID THAT THE CIA IS UNABLE 10 CONTROL THE CURRENT
CHILEAN GOVERNMENT AND THAT LETELIER'S ASSASSINATION IS AN
EXAMPLE OF THIS LACK OF CONTROL.
3.
COMMENT:
THE
CUBAN GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
THROUGH ITS INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES IS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH OF
THE CUBAN PLANE AND ALSO IN THE ASSASSINATION OF LETELIER.
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A CUBAN DIPLOMAT IN JAMAICA MADE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME COMMENTS.
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE VENEZUELAN ARRESTED IN TRINIDAD FOR
INVOLVEMENT IN THE PLANE CRASH CONFESSED TO BEING A MEMBER OF
"EL CONDOR," A CUBAN EXILE GROUP, AND TO BEING ASSOCIATED WITH
ORLANDO B 0 S C H, A CUBAN EXILE LEADER. ACCORDING TO THE CUBAN
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DIPLOMAT, THE VENEZUELAN CONFESSED THAT "EL CONDOR" WAS RESPONSIBLE
4 4
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FOR THE 6 OCTOBER BOMBING, THE 9 JULY 1976 ATTEMPT TO BOMB A
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. SECRET TO CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
(elossttication) (amen controls)
CUBANA PLANE IN KINGSTON, JAMAICA, AND THE ASSASSINATION OF
LETELIER. HE ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED U.S.$40,000 TO CARRY OUT HIS
TASKS. IN HIS COMMENTS THE CUBAN DIPLOMAT DID NOT SPECIFY
WHETHER OR NOT THIS MONEY COVERED ONLY ONE OR A SERIES OF ACTS.)
4.
COMMENT:
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(b)(3)
A CUBAN OFFICIAL IN
ARGENTINA SAID
THAT IT
WAS CERTAIN THAT THE CIA (W(1)
(b)(3)
AND AGENTS OF THE CHILEAN NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
(INA) WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR .THE 6 OCTOBER PLANE CRASH, THE
KILLING OF LETELIER AND THE 1974 ASSASSINATION OF GENERAL CARLOS
PRATS, FORMER COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE CHILEAN ARMED
FORCES.)
5.
DISSEM: EMBASSY AT QUITO.
REPORT CLASS-SECRET-WARNING NOTICE-SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
AND METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS--NOT
-DISSEMINATION
AND EXTRACTION1OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR. CLASSIFIED
BY RECORDED REPORTING OFFICER.
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