CUBAN SITUATION
MAY 1959
[REFERENCE: County Intelligence File "Cuban
Revolution File", 1959, #18335-A]
DATE: May 27, 1959
TO: Thomas J. Kelly, Metropolitan Sheriff
FROM: Frank Kappel, Supervisor, Criminal Intelligence
SUBJECT: CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES, ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ON FELIPE SARRAIN; PRIVATE SECRETARY
OF THE FORMER MAYOR OF HAVANA
On May 7, 1959, Agent A.L. TARABOCHIA, while on a routine tour of the International
Airport observed two W/M's that appeared suspicious due to the fact that
they were loitering in an area not open to the general public. When
asked to identify themselves, one of them produced a U.S. Immigration Parole
form and stated that his name was FELIPE SARRAIN and that he and his companion,
who identified himself as RICARDO PEREZ, were looking for a suitcase that
was to be shipped from Cuba.
SARRAIN gave his address as 704 N.W. 24th Street, Miami. The subject
stated that he had just fled Cuba on a small boat and had landed in Key West
the previous Sunday, May 3, 1959. He also stated that he had been the
private secretary of the Mayor of Havana, during the Batista regime and at
the time of his departure was actively sought by the Revolutionary Police.
He believed that if caught he would be tried and executed since his persecutors
had already burned his home.
SARRAIN stated that a great part of the Cuban population lives in a state
of terror of the police and t he victim of any accusation is sometimes held
incommunicado by the police for days or weeks until tried or freed.
The outcome of most trials is usually the death sentence.
The subject also mentioned that the Communist party is gaining strength in
Cuba because in most key positions the power has been seized by Communists.
Foremost was DAVID SALVADOR, head of all the Trade Unions in Cuba.
SALVADOR, according to SARRAIN had invited members of the Trade Unions of
the U.S.S.R. to visit Cuba and observe the progress made by the "democracy"
after the fall of BATISTA.
The communications media and the army have also been infiltrated by Communists
and recently the soldiers stationed at Camp Libertad (Columbia) were forced
to see an anti-American and controversial picture by CHARLIE CHAPLIN.
When asked about the expeditionary forces that have been active in alleged
liberating expeditions to neighboring Caribbean Countries, SARRAIN stated
that a Corps bearing the name of LEGION LIBERTADOR with headquarters near
Calle 23 or 32 or Vedado in Havana was most active in the field. (See
case # 1890-B) The commander of these forces was reputed to be ELOY MENOYO
GUTIERREZ former Commander of the second front in the Sierra del Escambray,
(CARLOS PRIO'S Directorio Revolutionario).
The main reason for the existence of such bands was to be found in the fact
that most of the revolutionaries not belonging to the 26th of July movement
had been excluded from positions of responsibility or even incorporation
in the Army and have turned mercenary in order to satisfy their economic
needs and spirit of adventure. This fact accounts also for the harshness
that FIDEL CASTRO used in denouncing the Panamanian adventure.
SARRAIN told this Agent that he had knowledge of fighting in the Sierra Maestra
and that there were about 4,000 men of the dissolved Batista Army engaged
in guerrilla warfare.
The recent transfer of all the Army Units to the Sierras announced by RAUL
CASTRO was to be attributed to this fighting and not to training maneuvers
as the rebel chief had stated.
Recent flareups in Las Villas province resulted in a direct attack of the
Santa Clara jail where eight prisoners condemned to death were freed by a
former American sergeant who had fought with CASTRO and now had changed factions
after realizing the progress of Communism in Cuba. SARRAIN was unable
to identify the sergeant. JOSE PEDRAZA, former police chief and now
in exile in the Dominican Republic is considered by many Cubans as the leader
of an action by counter-revolutionaries in Cuba.
Information received from a different source revealed that the Cuban Navy
has in training at a Naval Base called "GRAMMA", twenty-two frogmen who are
receiving training on all kinds of underwater demolition operations.
This group is commanded by Commander ROLANDO DIAZ ASTARAINA.
At the same base, 600 men, constituting the first echelon of the Cuban Marines
is being trained by former officers of the U.S. Marine Corps. This
number is to be increased in the near future. There were four prefabricated
ships of a capacity of 400 men each being assembled at the base.
Respectfully submitted,
A.L. Tarabochia
Intelligence Agent
Frank Kappel, Supervisor
Criminal Intelligence
cc: C.I.A.
Frank Watterson
U.S. State Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Justice Building
Miami, Florida
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Cuban Information Archives. All Rights Reserved.
