Skip to content

April 14, 1962

Soviet Report on Havana's Plan to Train Latin American Partisans

This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation

Top Secret

Copy#3

 

CCCPSU

 

14 April 1962

903-s

 

In addition to previously sent reports (in 796-S from 4.4.62), I am reporting on the statements of the Cuban Minister of Internal Affairs, Ramiro Valdez, in a conversation with the KGB representative in Havana on the question of training guerilla groups in Cuba to organize guerilla [partizanskogo] movements in Latin American countries.

 

VALDEZ stated that the Cuban friends have decided at the present stage "to do everything themselves," although mistakes are possible, due to lack of experience. In the future, when the matter takes a serious turn and when the [revolutionary] situation becomes clear in one or another of the Latin American countries, requiring more serious assistance, the United Revolutionary Organizations (ORO) [Organizaciones Revolucionarias Integradas] will keep the CC CPSU informed about it.

 

VALDEZ further stated that, on Fidel CASTRO's instructions, the training of partisan groups in Cuba is carried out only by the Secretariat of the ORO, and each of its members has a well-defined mission, and for this reason he [Valdez] cannot inform the KGB representative of the ongoing work.

 

According to VALDEZ, F. CASTRO took a decision, which, in order to preserve secrecy, assigned the training of partisan groups entirely to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and, specifically, to VALDEZ and his two deputies PINEIRO and ANR?TESA [?]. To a certain extent, said VALDEZ, we took note of the suggestion from the Soviet intelligence service leadership that the work in general way should be supervised by the party, while the practical execution of concrete assignments should be assigned to the intelligence service, since it possesses necessary capabilities to fulfill them.

 

At the end of the discussion VALDEZ touched upon the problems of peaceful coexistence. He said that the Cuban friends agree with the principles of peaceful coexistence; however, in their [opinion], this does not mean that they should not give assistance to the national liberation movement and, most importantly, to their own Latin American brothers. "We have no intention of unleashing either a local or, moreover, a world war. For us this is most dangerous, since we are here--right at imperialism's side, but we must help fraternal peoples," said VALDEZ.

 

Report on a conversation between the Cuban Minister of Internal Affairs Ramiro Valdez Menendez and the KGB representative on Havana's decision to organize the training of partisan groups in other Latin American countries. For the time being the Cuban would do this by themselves without the help of the Soviet Union. Valdez said that although Havana agreed with the principle of peaceful coexistence, that did not mean that they could not help their brothers in the neighbor countries.


Document Information

Source

Archive of the Federal Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, File 88497, vol 1.

Rights

The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.

To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at [email protected].

Original Uploaded Date

2012-06-19

Type

Report

Language

Record ID

114516

Donors

Leon Levy Foundation