President's Visit to Miami
18 December 1963
SS Report dated Dec. 30, 1963
December 30, 1963
Mr. James J. Rowley
Chief, U.S. Secret Service,
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
RE: President's Visit to Miami, Fla.
On November 18, 1963, to address
the Inter-American Press Association
Reference is made to Final Survey Report dated December 11, 1963,
submitted by Special Agent L. F. de Freese (Office 1-16), relating to
the captioned visit of the President to Miami, Florida.
Submitted as an appendix to the referenced report is the following information relating to Protective Research.
PROTECTIVE RESEARCH
Upon receipt of official notice of the President's scheduled visit to
the Miami, Florida, on November 18, 1963, a representative of the Miami
office personally met with official representatives of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Miami, as well as the Central Intelligence
Agency, and discussed with them those areas of intelligence pertinent
to the general security survey, and established liaison for the free
flow of intelligence information of interest to the United States
Secret Service.
Official contact was also established with intelligence units of local
police departments, as well as with source of confidential information
integrated within the Cuban community of Miami, Florida.
On November 5, 1963, Mr. Richard E. Yager, Public Service Coordinator,
The Miami Herald, Miami, Florida, made available to this office a list
of members of the Inter American Press Association expected to attend
the scheduled function, including the head table and near-head table
guests, as well as the IAPA delegates, associates, observers, and
invited guests. A copy of the above list was forwarded to the
Protective Research Section.
Through Mr. Charles A. Bogdahn, General Manager of the Americana Hotel,
Miami Beach, Florida, a list containing 61 names of permanent employees
of the Americana Hotel, as well as a list containing 20 names of extra
employees furnished by the Hotel Employees Union Local 255, all of whom
were expected to have access to areas in the proximity of the
President, were furnished to this office for appropriate
clearance. All of the permanent employees of the Americana Hotel
were found to have police clearance. (See attached list). From
the list of names submitted by the Hotel Employees Union Local 255,
Joseph Sestock and Jose Triana were found to have police records and
they were removed from the list. They were replaced by Jack
Schamis and Leon Freedman, who were subsequently cleared.
From a confidential source, whose reliability is unknown, information
was received indicating that two dissidents, unidentified members of
Cuban Brigade 2506 were planning to embarrass the President by
demanding that the flag of Brigade 2506, which was presented to the
President at the Orange Bowl, be returned to them by the
President. (The above information was subsequently confirmed by
3-11-14).
The last unknown information regarding the flag of Brigade 2506 is that
it was returned by President Kennedy several months ago by donating it
to the Cuban Officers at Fort Benning, Georgia, for the Officers Club.
Investigation disclosed that the dissident Brigade 2506 member planning
to demand the return of the flag was Carlos Miranda (LNU), commonly
known as "El Soldado Miranda" (Soldier Miranda). Miranda
allegedly was being directed by Dr. Felipe Rivero, 1602 Micanopy
Avenue, Bay Heights, Miami, Florida and was receiving instructions from
Dr. Rivero in learning, in English, the exact speech which Miranda
should use in demanding the return of the flag.
Conferences were held with Juan Jose Peruyero Rodriguez, President;
Andres Aurelio Bassols Pozo, Vice-Director of Organization; and Rodolfo
Corondo Quintana, Director of Foreign Relations, officers of Brigade
2506, relative to the purported intentions of Carlos Miranda and they
advised that Miranda was not authorized to represent Brigade 2506 in
any capacity and that they would utilize the services of approximately
900 members of the Brigade to locate Miranda and prevent him from
representing himself as a spokesman for the Brigade.
Repeated efforts to contact Dr. Felipe Rivero for interview were
unsuccessful. Continued efforts by sources of this service, as
well as CAS and members of Brigade 2506 failed to disclose the
whereabouts of Carlos Miranda, and it was later disclosed that Miranda
had remained in hiding. Members of Brigade 2506 were present
during the President's speech at Miami International Airport, as well
as outside the Americana Hotel at Miami Beach, and Miranda was not
known to have made an appearance during the President's visit.
From a confidential source of this Service, a publisher of anti-Castro
propaganda, it was learned that Diaz Lanz, a Cuban political extremist
and former Brigade 2506 member, might attempt to approach the President
Kennedy verbally at a Cuban rally in New York on November 3,
1963. The latter could not be verified.
Diaz Lanz was subsequently identified as Pedro Luis Diaz-Lanz, born in
Cuba on November 8, 1926, a pilot, who currently resides at 120 SW 71
st. Ave., Miami, Fla. His Immigration Service number is A 10 176
250.
Through Mr. Charles Yeager, Intelligence Officer, Immigration and
Naturalization Service, Miami, Florida, arrangements were made to have
Diaz-Lanz report for interview by that agency during the time the
President was in Miami. Mr. Charles Yager subsequently confirmed
that when Diaz-Lanz was requested to report to their office for
interview on November 18, 1963, he informed them that he was leaving
for New York City on the morning of November 18, 1963, the same date of
the President's scheduled arrival at Miami, Florida.
On the evening of November 17, 1963, Dr. Emilio Nunez Portuondo was a
guest speaker at a Cuban rally held in Bayfront Park, Miami, Florida,
in honor of Jose Ignacio Rivero now an exile in Miami, and the former
owner and publisher of Diario La Marina in Havana, Cuba. The
above rally was attended by approximately 6,000 to 8,000 Cubans.
The above rally was covered by this Service in an effort to determine
whether there would be any adverse reaction pursuant to the pending
visit of the President on the following day.
During his speech, Dr. Portuondo bitterly attacked the United States,
stating, among other comments, that the blood of the people who have
been shot at the "wall" will remain forever as a black mark for this
hemisphere and "that the cry of pain of all those who suffered in Cuba
will be heard from the mountains of America to the Andes, and will be
recorded in history as proof that once America was cowardly". It
was observed that Pedro Luis Diaz-Lanz was seated among the guest
speakers at the above rally. Diaz-Lanz was not observed in any
areas the President visited on November 18, 1963.
From a confidential source of this office, information was received
that Orlando Bosch, head of the Movimiento Insurecional de Recuperacion
Revolucionaria (MRR), was planning to picket the President by using
widows of Cuban fighters dressed in black. The above information
was confirmed in a telephone call received from the Chief's Office on
November 14, 1963, wherein was stated that "Orlando Bosch Avila, Chief
of Movimiento Insurreccional de Recuperacion Revolucionaria, is
planning to picket President Kennedy on 18th November. Pickers
plan to use widows of Cuban resistance fighters dressed in black and
carrying placards." (Message NBR 6225)
Orlando Bosch Avila, born in Cuba on August 18, 1926, entered Miami,
Florida, on July 28, 1960, and is assigned Immigration Service No. A 11
881 810. He is currently employed as a pediatrician for the Dade
County Public Health Service, and resides at 2121 SW 11th Street,
Miami, Florida.
Orlando Bosch Avila was personally interviewed at his residence
relative to the information received and he denied the
allegations. Bosch was informed that he would be held personally
responsible for any adverse incident which might result due to their
planned demonstrations. He gave his assurance there would be no
picketing or other demonstrations by his organization. No
representation by the MIRR was observed during the President's visit.
In the Miami Herald on November 14, 1963, a brief article appeared
under the Latin Section indicating that a group of Cuban refugees would
demonstrate at the American Hotel when the President arrived to address
the Inter-American Press Association.
The information alleged in the newspaper article was traced to Manuel
Artime's Revolutionary Recovery Movement (MRR), formerly Civilian Head
of Brigade 2506. Personal interview of Sixto R. Mesa, Financial
Secretary of MRR, failed to confirm the newspaper article. Mr.
Mesa gave his assurance that no demonstrations or other representation
had been authorized by his organization and none would occur.
From an unidentified source information was received that widows of
deceased Cubans, and wives of Cuban political prisoners, would hold a
rally at Bayfront Park, Miami, Florida, during the President's visit on
November 16, 1963, where one would be selected to sacrifice herself by
burning in protest of President's policies toward Cuba.
The above information was subsequently confirmed through information
received from 3-11-14, which indicated that a telephone campaign was
being carried out by unknown persons who have requested that Cuban
women proceed to the Miami Friendship Torch on the afternoon of 18
November where certain Cuban widows plan to set themselves afire in
protest to the inactivity of the Kennedy Administration in the Cuban
case.
The persons planning the above demonstration remained unidentified, and the alleged demonstration was not held .
From the Intelligence Unit of the Miami Police Department, information
was received that Enrique Maca, Jr., as well as Roberto Torres
Fernandez, Antonio Franco, Rene Gutierrez Quintanilla, and Raul
Artiles, all dissident members of Brigade 2506, were planning to
recruit Cubans to demonstrate during the President's visit. The
above information was subsequently confirmed by 3-11-14, who reported
that Enrique Llaca, Jr. is behind the move to harass the President at
all possible points on his local itinerary by having Cubans show up
dressed in mourning for the "broken promises of the Orange Bowl."
Maca allegedly was engaged in a house to house campaign in an effort to
recruit volunteer demonstrators.
Enrique Llaca, Jr. and Rene Gutierrez Quintanilla were summoned into
the intelligence Unit of the Miami Police Department and they were
admonished to refrain from any hostile demonstrations.
Official members of Brigade 2506 were re-interviewed relative to
Enrique Llaca, Jr. and his dissident group and they advised that Llaca
was not authorized to use the name of Brigade 2506 in any manner, and
added that the Brigade members would utilize their own resources to
admonish and prevent Llaca from adverse demonstrations during the
President's visit. Llaca or any of his group were not observed at
any of the sites the President visited during his stay in Miami,
Florida.
A typewritten Postal Card, dated and postmarked at Miami Beach,
Florida, November 16, 1963, addressed to the Chief of Police, Miami,
Florida, was received by that department and subsequently surrendered
to the Intelligence Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department for
investigation. The post card reads: "The Cuban Commandoes have
the BOMBS ready for killing JFK and Mayor KING HIGH either at the
AIRPORT or at the Convention Hall. A Catholic PADRE is going to
give instructions at the Cuban Womens Broadcast at 8:45 tonight by
"RELOJ RADIO" and then all are invited to dance at Bayfront Park
Auditorium and take along a BOTTLE of wine, Wiskey, ETC., to decide who
will throw the bombs. At King High because he did sign the Ord.
About taxi drivers being only American Citizens and sending refugees
away, ETC. Mary".
On November 19, 1963, the Criminal Intelligence Section, Public Safety
Department, Miami, Florida, reported the studies of the typewriting on
the card reveal that the typewriting was executed on a Royal
Typewriter, pica type, with serial numbers near the 4,000,000
series. On November 22, 1963, the same Department reported that
the card was written on a Royal Typewriter manufactured between 1:47
and 1:49. Nothing further has been developed leading to the
identity of the person writing the card.
During the week prior to the President's scheduled visit to Miami on
November 18, 1963, the Spanish language radio commentators over Radios
________________ Miami, as well as the Spanish language reporter over
Channel______Miami, began exhorting the Cuban people to demonstrate
during the President's visit by carrying ___or by wearing black dress
or armbands as a sign of mourning; others asked that an attitude of
silence and mourning be adopted to show disgust for unfulfilled
promises.
As reports of contemplated adverse demonstrations began to increase,
received from sources of this Service, as well as the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency, arrangements were
made for a conference with representatives of CAB and this Service in
order to avail this office with the assets as their disposal.
On November 15, 1963, a conference was held in this office with
representatives of 3-11-14. They advised they would utilize all
of their assets in the areas to be visited by the President, as well as
for surveillance of Enrique Maca and his group and Pedro Luis Diaz-Lanz.
The 3-11-14 representatives also advised that they would use their
resources to reverse the trend to demonstrate as suggested by the
Spanish language radio commentators.
On November 16, 1963, Mr. G. Harvey Summ, Acting Director Office of the
Coordinator of Cuban Affairs, Miami, Florida, advised that he had
contacted Arthur G. Gilbert, Federal Communications Commission, Miami,
Florida and requested him to admonish the responsible authorities of
Spanish language radio in Miami to restrict their Spanish language
radio in Miami to restrict their Spanish language commentators from
making irresponsible comments or suggestions to the Cuban people during
their broadcasts. The above was subsequently discussed
further with Mr. Gilbert by a representative of this Service.
On November 17, 1963, 3-11-14 reported that responsible Cuban exile
organizations in Miami have urged their compatriots to refrain from
unruly demonstrations when President Kennedy arrived on November
18. They further reported that Radio ____, Miami called on
refugees to turn out to applaud the President, saying that although
there have been differences in opinion, now is the time to demonstrate
unity for democracy. Radio Station WFAB on a commentary by Manolo
Del Canal, stated that he is opposed to hostile demonstrations against
the President, and does not exhort the exile in that direction.
3-11-14 further reported that the exile community is calm, and massive demonstration was unlikely.
In reversing the trend to demonstrate, as previously contemplated by
the exiled Cubans, the significance of the change is attributed to the
efforts expounded by 3-11-14. It had been previously estimated
that approximately 20,000 Cubans would make an appearance at the Miami
International Airport at the President's arrival. An unofficial
estimate of approximately 3,000 persons, including Cubans, were present
at the President's arrival at Miami International Airport.
No hostile demonstrations by Cubans, either as individual groups or
representatives of organizations, were held during the President's
visit to Miami on November 1st, 1963.
Enclosed for PRS is photograph of Pedro Luis Diaz-Lanz, as well as lists of hotel employees of the Americana Hotel.
APPROVED
Very truly yours,
John A. Marshall
Special Agent in Charge
Ernest I. Aragon
Special Agent
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