Office of the Historian

70. Memorandum From Gerald P. Lamberty of the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs to the Officer in Charge of Cuban Affairs (Hurwitch)0

Miami, March 22, 1961.

SUBJECT

  • Miscellaneous Comments on Local Situation

A well-informed, reliable source, who would prefer to remain unnamed, passed on the following information: [Page 166]

1)
The Cubans are up in arms about Mr. B.1 So are some Americans. The complaints are that he is high-handed, refuses to think beyond the military phase, is impatient with economic or political problems, knows nothing about Cuba or Cubans, and speaks with a German accent. There are also complaints he plays favorites and boasts he can make or break any organization or leader.
2)

Artime is a growing power. Artimeʼs rivals claim he has two main pillars of support—the Jesuits and Mr. B.

Mr. B. is supposed to like Artime because the latter talks military problems rather than political. Mr. B. is supposed to be much more interested in the military aspects of the situation, and thus prefers Artime to his more politically minded companions.

Cubans, including Varona and Miro Cardona, argue that this attitude permitted Castro and the Communists to come to power—that everyone thought that once Batista was out everything would be fine. All Cuban leaders try to explain this to Mr. B. except Artime.

One example of favoritism cited is that when Varona finally was given permission to visit the camps, Artime went along with him, while no other leaders were permitted to go.

Opponents of Artime claim he is trying to make up for his lack of a military organization or mass support by tapping the one source of Cuban manpower that is not being used—the Batistianos. These opponents say some Batistianos already have been recruited for the camps.

3)

Miro Cardona was extremely elated following the meeting of March 20 which named him to head the new Revolutionary Council. Miro is quoted as saying “the meeting today will go down as one of the brilliant pages of Cuban history.”

Miro said it appears that all difficulties are being ironed out within the Frente and the MRP and between the two groups and that the meeting to be held in New York will probably merely be a formality to put the final stamp on agreements which have already been reached.

Miro said agents who had just arrived from Cuba sat in on the meeting at the Frente, and brought a “vote of confidence” from the underground in the program being pursued here, and in the men who are pursuing it. They also brought a call for the exiles to hurry the attack on Castro.

Miro said “I smell something. The whole thing is coming very fast. It is jumping, not walking.”

4)
A writer and photographer from Life Magazine are trying to make arrangements to go into Cuba with a small guerrilla unit when the push comes. They already have brought their gear.
5)
Many Cuban politicians and diplomats are going into the secret training camps for Cuban guerrillas. They are determined to carry guns in the planned attack on Castroʼs Cuba. Their reason is their conviction that only those who fight Castro actively, with guns will be listened to by the Cuban people after Castro is gone. Ambassador Guillermo Salazar, who represented Castro in Bern, left for camp on Monday, March 13, to serve as a medical doctor with the troops when they go into Cuba. Ambassador Sergio Rojas Santamaria, who served in London, is leaving within a few days.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/3-2261. Confidential; Limited Distribution. Lamberty worked in the economic section of the Embassy in Havana until it was closed in January. Thereafter, he and a number of the other members of the Embassy staff were transferred to an office of the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, which was established in Miami to maintain liaison with the Cuban exile community.↩
  2. Frank Bender.↩