“Connection • T. people here in M.az against the dic- i• • : "The answer to this whole thing re- tatorship of Batista. He might Eave - -volves around Cuba,” said this offi- been in some other branch that I don't cial.*• * . know about." .':. > ** . • ; Green, who represents M”
“assemble and service helicopters.’ The group had ‘■.assembled a collection of Army surplus parts for helicopters and was in. the process of shipping them without an export license and they were' + in,seized by U.S. Customs officers on 21 February 1974. Mr. Bryant ' • .. ’indi”
“1 4-00000 YU I OVINO (% NdoSAut.*. & • 17-1 til 1el ace VONA CENTUSSOMT a com ACP ree •• • yo 1<H that 53 •1 pans or rA689 OMF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 classinicatioN SEC RE T w8esa00 mavoumesicicarOA o«>i trie eeou crru • $6408 ware nasica mbee# OPsS/MNIarL,'2OPS/IN”
“1 4-00000 11 March 1974 MEMORANDUM FOR: Domestic Collection Division ATTENTION: Hr. Shaun P. Ryan SUBJECT: Joseph R. MEROLA REFERENCE: HH 25826, 8 January 1974 1. 04 10 January 1974 the WH/2/GS desk received the referenced memorandum from the Domestic Collection Divisio”
“14-00000 SECRET date sC.lt HLCULSt>V SPEED LETTER ___ 23 January 1924. LETTER so. vEs -0 __ OSS-172-74_____ TO : Chief. WH/2/GS FROM: DCD/SB/OSS (3 B 4402 Hqs.) SPRyan/ds ATTN: Patty Burke___ SUBJECT: Case 61401 - Joseph Merola On 18 January 1974, our Miami Field ”
“… n El Salvador to Matt MacVane during the course of an interview on 21 December 1973. This was reported in MIM-006-74 4 January 1974. This report was forwarded to the El Salvador Desk on 8 January 1974. Oa 16 January 1974 the Desk requested that DCD obtain the name of the individual …”
“… d the El Salvador Desk to ascertain their objections to our source, known to us as a convicted felon. Desk objections steamed from a 1964 report which indicated that Merola had informed persons that he was a "CIA agent". Further conversa tion elicited the fact that Merola bad agai …”
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“… : Chief, WH/FP ATTN: Mr. Flores Flores 03 FROM : Chief, Contact Division (Ial/br) UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DATE: 27 November 1959 SUBJECT: Report of Impending Attack on Castro : 03 1. Jack Gillespie of Atlanta, who is known to Mr. Flores, recently was approached by Rudy Fernandez of A …”
“for an invesion of Cuba. Thae of the strike is indefinite but it could occur before 1 January 1960. b. Resistance to an invasion is expected to be light because the Cuban army has not been paid for two months and is living by lecting. e. "Many" high-ranking Soviet officers are in”
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“REASON FOR Tube HIS ALLEGED MURDER IS UNKNOWN. 2. FOLLOWING ARE TRACES ON ROBERTO PARSONS: ACCORDING TO JMWAVE-1302, 16 FEBRUARY 1968, AN AMCLEVE-15 MIAMI CONTACT WAS PROBABLY IDENTICAL WITH, ROBERTO sip SONS . . RA MIREZ, BORN 10 JULY 19 30 IN GUAN TA NA MO. P AR SO NS ”
“ESOUIRE AR- CAPPEARED MARCH 1977 SRIPGE 55 / ( 2_041 •1 -TH very --, - " by Taylor Branch and John Rothchild - - How two mild-mannered reporters, on the 23 trail of a Washington bomber, % CO landed in Caracas and ran afoul of the e Venezuelan secret service, warring ”
“guess.” It is Hilda I n, a reporter for The Afinmi News, standing in the aisle, looking down at us. She. is a specialist on Latin terrorism in Miami. “Looks like it,” say s Branch, shrugging. So much for • NO the secret trip. Yet he is inclined to trust Inclan, even though h”
“logical explanation is that some.- 5 one on the plane tipped off the Vene-. . . . , “It sounds back and forth from one soum to the zuelans. But why?i like Bosch and Morales have tried hard other. Branch thrushes around in his spy: enough to kill each other.” Branch hesi- In ”
“looks toward • ica.” -. * * - summons. It might conceivably be con- the elevator in time to see the Miami. Y. Branch begins packing up the news - strued as an admission of something, attorneys, and cops scurrying to get in * elips. “I'm paranoid as hell about this - and the r”
“don’t know,John,” hesays."Maybe play of Foster Grants at the back of wedding this is" and end up saying Morales isbehind all this, but I can’t an unlighted drugstore. . . . “what tremendous tits you have lave””— —is is fienvefigure out who he Att why Wa’’sa doing Anivo it. I”
“: Rothchild is trying not to listen. The 1 1 the Venezuelan ' secret police. She - keep ‘** circling, and• an evasive ‘‘ * Romulo only sure contact he thought Branch ]t catches up in the line and says she has keeps cracking his knuckles, pacing had has suddenly turned into a po”
“aren’t even pretending not to be — “Give me your ----- papers -- fa! ----- and - follow •-- taeion, o-A that i and •%-• I 1-6 have done. TL.The rest, • ----P” DAsL.L:1 following, Rothchild ---says. sen "I ---* don’t time!” a voice booms suddenly, St be- is entirely up t”
“Hotel Avila, a Casa other office, leaving them alone with an * “I don’t understand how they picked blanca-type place at the top of n hill. old man seated behind a desk, Thero us out,” says Inclan in the cab. "Es It seems deserted until Rothchild looks- • is furious typing com”
“walkie-talkie, and revolver bulges at hem in the lobby at all times. Inclin fir .:6 d out, from her visit to the .. the waista of their plain dark suits. ecides she will sleep on a couch in the A» .o Hiton, what floor Ricardo ; They station themselves around the mbby, and she”
“under lan. You sound Cuban. Are you a .Then a call comes through, but it is not the pretext of immoral conduct. Roth- Cuban?" Morales says he is tired of . •the contact Branch awaits. It is Inclan, child keeps opening the door because being interrupted in his sleep; he hangs ’”
“wonder why Morales has . • rooms and at least the reporters can Inclan tries to phone her editor in in just denied being himself. Maybe all - : • show some solidarity. - ' " Miami, but it becomes clear after about this is happening because they know ■ It takes a long time, too”
“about five minutes, then certainly * * a tapped line. Inclan can-’t get which are talked about all the time in retreats to “there is some problem with i on answer at the U.S. ** Embassy. Roth: the Miami rumor mill. you people. I can’t give you a roum. child has nobody to call,”
“14-00000 • "Pack! he pel’s In half a second he is all the way across the room. “Pack!" I the populated areas and into those Cara ' whether they will ever get to esta where executions and accidents find v.. whist it is Nobouly, after all, 7 Branch sits ega straight in bed an”
“… els the energy coming off him in and and even even tries tries some spy-world guilt some spy-world guilt less than eight hours since the report- waves. He ships into the bathroom to protiction.production. "Rip "Rip would would not what era entered the country, and they have like …”
“jacket. stairs, maybe rougher than the other believed the stories, but he thinks . The most impressive new lurker is a ( two because she is alone and also be- Morales’ nap is very effective theater, character they call "El Largo," or "The cause she is not yet a. U.S. citizen. ”
“and Branch are directing more ques- Morales twists the knife with a little . once back in the hotel lobby, but the I tions at him from the couch. He an- humiliation. "Pay your bill yells. * reporters were never sure he intended swers only with contemptuous looks. • bill!!"” he”
“It is still dark. D ------L’’-s s Branch incessant briefings, *-* that **- Mo. down the maze of corridors. They de- The reporters are put into the back - al rales * wore a - l-tke lot of **- *• hats: *terrorist as cide there is something oriental about of a car. Morales and”
“in a private car instead of big enough and sensitive enough that to the idea of making a scene, but: . an official police car. His fear of being top people in the Venezuelan DISIP. ; he decides Morales would not have i officially detained is rapidly being re- are interrupting t”
“14-00000 Waiter, W.-s will you have?” he asks gragiou-y ga • from reality.” He looks off and :again.. , * ruelai -wer what are you doing In Veno- •. was killed in Washington: Washington." ” ;‘ * 8 "The reporters had figure breakfast "* don't think so,” says Inclan, “I M”
“and Mo- your background in Miami and you vestigate that murder in Washington rales looks pleased. He orders a sump- talked to him like a friend. He says instead of coming halfway around the- _ tuous breakfast for himself. it arrives you were nice and now you are ...” . world.” ”
“position in snaps in the reporters and they laugh, ferent you are lying! And bad things ; the DISIP and gets no response. She too, uncontrollably. Fear floats out of happen to liars!"*1 mentions Morales’ nephew, whom she their mouths and they feel better. Inclan comes to Branch”
“’ ■ Washington, right?” Morales breaks in. serves, stabbing in the dark. But there Branch nods yes; Rothchild nods no. “I think I saw that in Time,” i isn't. John and I are old friends, but ' “You told me you hadn’t gotten any "That's right. He was blown up right , just met pd ”
“"feigning tenderness. Morales. He gives us an exaggerated "Let’s see, what else is there? Have . _ shrug and a quizzical look.. you all been married?” The reporters Inclan shakes her head in despair. nod. “How about divorced?” The re “Oh, come on. You testified against him p”
“ruffled. "I can work as well “If you are going to kick us out of as most other reporters,” she says. the country, you should at least let us Morales shakes his head vigorously. call our families,” Inclan says. "My “No you can’t. You are a hundred miles। editors are Going to be”
“$ have appointments and those people - Aa hour later, Morales suddenly w...ied about what we might find out [ don’t have any idea where we are. Why mobilizes his entire office. Some of his if we ever get out of his clutches,” -I can’t you let us make at least one men grab the ”
“He senses an national—Cubans killing Chileans and and how fiercely he snaps the point end coming and feels some relief. But so forth. Now look at how Venezuela down. - : . when the entourage emerges on the air fits in. It’s kind of an entrepot for ev The reporters glance kno”
“make a fuss to the left, but the people who helped .like a schoolboy taking down his home- when you- put us on the plane?" In conspire to kill him might well be right ’ work.; He is putting on a show. He ".elan asks. “What then?.” " ‘. to c-’h ''in the DISIP, which is full of ”
“trying to keep the "You've spelled Bosch wrong,” says Several cars screech up to the curb, ‘ lid on. ‘ • . . Inclan. “It's B-o-s-c-h.” ' . * Once loaded, they, take off at the usual “Okay,” Branch continues. “Let’s "I'm sorry,” says Morales.. torrid pace. Branch feels panic op”
“Romulo’s ont. It’s the last thing the government 0 step and marches toward it, the first - fingertips do push-ups on his 1 desk • here needs right now.” .sign of overt resistance. Morales while he looks on, stone-faced, ' Roth * “So what side is Morales on?" asks • . freezes ”
“against the wall near the phone. He loudly sucking phlegm up his long they’re so afraid of a story like that. looks amused. His body seems to twitch spiny nose. why do they let other reporters stay a little under his suit, as if he might After about ten minutes, Branch and just”
“eutors. That may have been too much and Bramh huddle with Inclan. They the middle of the scene, looking like the • 10. for him to take chances with us. I • h the plan and agree. Then all frust 11 director director of runaway cast. of aa runaway cast. . don’t know. Maybe he th”
“once again the DISIP cor- Rothchild hit the double glass door with me go with these people?" he asks the texe appears from nowhere. They es Inclan and E., Largo and the army just pilot, “If 1 take them to Miami, I guar cort the reporters down another stair behind. They all p”
“dignity has been trampled on by the visa?" he asks Camargo. "No.” “Then, ‘ed, and knowing he, will pass through* secret-police. The police, who are mass- ’ do you know what they will do to you iit and get on an airplane and not find - ing behind herin greater numbers than when ”
“and go on up the ramp. at all these cars and soldiers and dis- plane,” he says to Rothchild. “We have • * Branch, meanwhile, has planted . **** him- tressed officials—but they don’t like the to at least do something." He and Roth- self~on | the stairs , that lead, to the front”
“have circled bers on little scraps of paper—the num- 1 ’they are all connected by aninvisible, ............. * them, and they* pull* the swords ** a few bers are of - ............................................. editors in Miami, friends, • - rope. • .. . inches but of their ”
“… the straggler just vacated, h prodding Americans up up the ramp. He _, close its doors, that Branch comes up tl Out of a picture window the report- . steps over Branch and goes right down”
“11 view ot the cops. As the sword carriers m the runway and Camargo says, mat grins st them. His lips slant in are frisking Rothchild, the second note - * You’ve won Let’s co.” The reporters one direction, and the upper row, of his i is triumphantly confiscated. They don’t hud”
“… Jim Palmer baseball glove .abruptly leave the aircraft. But they Branch’s gut, and he is flooded with re- and a box of six baseballs. The report- . quickly return. They tell. Rothchild in a lief. He feels tears welling up. :. . " ers are astonished. - * * € —9 *w.% - very friendly …”