327. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy0
SUBJECT
- Cuban Prisoner Exchange
I understand that representatives of the Families Committee for Liberation who recently returned from attempting to negotiate the liberation [Page 794] of the prisoners with Fidel Castro may be calling upon the State Department within the course of the week to secure our further advice. By the end of the week I hope to have suggestions to you on the Governmentʼs position.
This memorandum contains the most complete information we now have on the discussions leading up to the recent Cuban prisoner exchange.
Dr. Ernesto Freyre, one of the four members of the Families Committee who went to Habana to negotiate terms of release of the April 17 prisoners, reported the following results of two interviews with Fidel Castro.
First Interview
- 1.
- They offered Castro some $26 million worth of food in exchange for all of the prisoners; an offer which he rejected on the grounds that it was contrary to the tribunalʼs decision. The only basis for negotiation he would accept was the sentences passed by the tribunal.
- 2.
- Castro offered to release the sick and wounded for the price the tribunal had set, a price which “they could pay whenever they had the money.”
- 3.
- The Committee membersʼ request to discuss this proposition with the Brigade leaders was granted. The Brigade leaders told the Committee members to accept the offer.
Second Interview
- 1.
- The Committee members told Castro they would accept the sick and wounded and would try to raise the approximately $2.5 million involved.
- 2.
- The question of an exchange based on foodstuffs was again broached. Castro replied that he would probably find acceptable a formula for releasing the remaining prisoners based on $26 million in foodstuffs and medicines and the balance of the $62 million in cash (he talked about $10 million in medicines, and the remainder of the $26 million in cereals, cattle feed, etc.). Castro told the Committee not to be discouraged; that he was confident something could be worked out within ninety days.
- 3.
- Castro agreed that the prisoners would not be placed at hard labor as long as the possibility of negotiations remained open.
- 4.
- Castro promised that the prisonersʼ food would be improved. He also agreed to permit them books and other reading matter.
- 5.
- Castro suggested that they return to Habana and he would receive them whenever they had something further to discuss regarding the negotiations.
Dr. Carlos Piad, Washington CRC representative, informed the Department that one of the returning prisoners told Dr. Miro that on or [Page 795] about April 11 Castro visited the prisoners and told them that he had nothing against them (they had only been misguided) but that his anger was directed against the President of the United States. Castro allegedly said that the President had called him a “pirate” whereas in reality the President was the “pirate” for having launched the invasion. Castro reportedly told the prisoners that he was confident they would be released within three months, intimating that the United States would pay the $62 million.