Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XI, Cuban Missile Crisis and Aftermath

310. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence McCone to President Kennedy⁰

Washington, April 10, 1963.

SUBJECT

• Donovan Negotiations with Castro

1. James Donovan returned from Cuba yesterday after a four-day visit. As a result of talks with Castro, the Americans imprisoned on the Isle of Pines are to be released on 22 April. During the intervening period Castro will observe closely American policy toward Cuba and make sure that the Red Cross deliveries are being concluded in good faith.

2. The main thrust of Donovan’s discussion, however, was political and can best be evaluated by a very confidential statement made to Donovan by Doctor Vallejo, a close personal advisor of Castro who was present at the meetings. Vallejo said Castro knew that relations with the United States are necessary and Castro wanted these developed. However, there are certain Cuban Government officials, communists, who are strongly opposed, even more than certain people in the United States. These officials are under close surveillance. They have no great following in Cuba; but if they rebelled at this time, Cuba would be in chaos. He believed that Donovan and Castro could work out a plan for a reasonable relationship between the two countries.¹

3. Donovan had two sessions with Castro, one for five hours, the other for fourteen hours. A variety of subjects were covered including the role of Red China in world politics, the Cuban economy, and Cuba’s role in Latin America. In discussing any subject Castro came around to relating it to Castro’s plan for developing Cuba. Castro finds the Soviet Union useful, but Cuba under Castro he claims will never become a Soviet satellite. He emphasized that the Cuban role in Latin America depended upon Cuba’s viability rather than the export of subversion.

4. Donovan has the confidence of Castro, who believes that Donovan is sincere and direct with no official ties to the United States Government. Our debriefing of Donovan is continuing.

John A. McCone

0. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI/McCone Files, JOB 80-B01285A, DCI’s Meetings with the President, 1 April-30 June 1963. Secret; Eyes Only. A note on the top of the memorandum reads: “Read by the Pres 4/10 at 1:00 p.m. Note retained.”
1. The Donovan-Castro meetings were discussed after what McCone called an Executive Committee meeting on April 10. McCone was mistaken. it was a meeting of the full Council, dealing mostly with Laos, after which McCone and the President had a private meeting. In that meeting Kennedy expressed great interest in the information in paragraph 2 and raised questions about Castro’s future within Cuba, with or without the Soviet presence. McCone stated that the matter was under study and he proposed to send Donovan back to Cuba on April 22 to secure freedom of the remaining prisoners and also keep the channel of communication open. McCone worried that there might be a confrontation over U.S. aerial surveillance between then and April 22, but the President insisted it must continue and the U.S. Government must be prepared to act if a plane was shot down. (Ibid.) See the Supplement.