339. Telegram From the Embassy in Costa Rica to the Department of State1
4088. Subject: Cuban OPS Center. Ref: San Jose 3972.2
1. (S-Entire text)
2. I gave President Carazo talking points (returned after he took notes).3 He was surprised and intrigued by the Romero brothers and the training camp being set up near Siquirres. He said they had lost the Cuban ops center, and I told him it had moved to the Consulate and it would be necessary to close the Consulate to close the ops center permanently. I went on to say that, sadly, the fact the ops center moved every time we told him suggested someone somewhere in his government was telling the Cubans. He said he did not know whom to trust in the security apparatus except Arguedas, who did not himself know who to trust. He asked for further information about a Costa Rican who may have taken refuge in the Cuban Consulate.
3. In response to my question, he said he wasn’t prepared to move yet. He wanted to catch them in the act, and had gotten together a group of friends, totally apart from the security apparatus, to investigate the matter. They would follow up the two new leads we had given him and he hoped we would try to give him further hard information.
4. He did not react badly at all to my pressing him, but he is looking for the smoking gun. I see nothing to do but keep feeding him [Page 835] information (difficult and tricky though this may be) with a reasonable hope, though not the certainty that he will act. I do not know him well, obviously, after a week here, but I have seen him three times and I do sense considerable anger at the Cubans for meddling in Costa Rica’s affairs and, of course, for causing him a major potential headache.
5. We will follow up on further specific information in Seso channels.4
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 10, Costa Rica: 5/80–1/81. Secret; Immediate; Cherokee; Nodis.↩
- In telegram 3972 from San José, July 10, McNeil reported on his meeting that day with Carazo who, referring to arms smuggling, “said quite frankly that elements of his security forces were obviously involved, that Panamanian Government officials were involved, and that there was lots of money, which certainly came from the Cubans.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P890003–0667)↩
- In telegram 181442 to San José, July 10, the Department transmitted talking points including “specific information on Cuban use of Costa Rica as a transshipment and supply point in the arms traffic with Salvadoran leftist insurgents and on Cuba’s possible use of Costa Rican territory to train Salvadoran extremists as well.” On July 10, Aaron addressed the following to Pastor on the first page of a copy of the telegram: “Bob—I think they want proof i.e. a ‛denuncio’ or photo or something tangible. DA.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 10, Costa Rica: 5/80–1/81) In telegram 3968 from San José, July 10, McNeil indicated that the Embassy had generated additional talking points for his meeting with Carazo. The points included information about Cuban financial support for the PVP’s efforts to train Salvadoran leftists in Costa Rica and information about individuals, including Alejandro Romero and Cesar Romero, who allowed their property to be used in arms smuggling operations. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 12, Costa Rica: 6/80–1/81)↩
- On July 17, Aaron wrote the following on the final page of the telegram: “Pastor—Can’t we get tough? Threaten to leak this evidence which he fails to act on? Tell him we can’t tell him more if the only effect is to pass it on to the Cubans. We might as well tell the press it might have more effect. DA.”↩