Rescate Democratico Revolucionario RDR
Revolutionary Democratic Rescue
[REF: Cuban Counter Revolutionary Handbook 10 October 1962 by the CIA.
FBI HQ file number 109-584-3387; NARA RIF Number 124-10279-10032]
[NOTE: The copies were very hard to transcribe because of
poor photo reproduction. At points where the words were unreadable,
three dots
(...) were inserted to indicate a missing word or words. Words in
brackets are not contained in the original. FURTHER NOTE: Please
consider the date,
10 Oct. 1962, when evaluating the organizations.]
[page 5]
COUNTER REVOLUTIONARY HANDBOOK
LEADING ORGANIZATION
I. IDENTIFYING DATA
A. Common Title or Abbreviation: "Rescate", RDR
B. Title: Rescate Democratico Revolucionario
Revolutionary Democratic Rescue
C.
Affiliation with Other Groups: Represented in original FRD and
present CRC. June 1962 Havana pact (JNR) with 30 Nov. MDC, UR,
renounced in exile by VARONA.
D.
Political Alignment and Basic Principles:
Middle-of-the-road. Built by and around VARONA, who was political
protege of PRIO Socarras and one-time head of PRIO's Autentico Party
which advocated gradual economic and social reforms and preservation of
free enterprise. "Rescate" maintains this orientation, although
organizationally unconnected with any current Autentico faction.
Emphatically anti-socialist.
E. Leading Personalities: In U. S. Manuel Antonio de VARONA
Loredo, (powerful one-man head; individually, a CRC member, was
Coordinator-General of FRD; signed Caracas Pact of Castro-allied forces
1958 as Autentico leader). Mario DEL CANAL Ferrer, Raul MENDEZ
Perez; Ramon A. Ruisanchez Piedad; Angel COFINO Garcia,
Labor-politician since 1933; alleged Communist until 1940; signed 1950
Caracas Pact as part of "Labor Unity") Francisco PAEZ Martin
(reportedly channel to underground inside Cuba; often named is contact
by incoming refugees). In Cuba; Alberto CRUZ Caso aka
"MARIO" may be I. W. Dario LOPEZ, who signed JNR unity pact.
II. HISTORY
A. Date and Place of Origin: Feb-March 1960. Cuba
B. Principal Activities to Date:
Political-party background reflected in exile activities. VARONA,
as No. 2 man in CRC, adeptly maneuvers among exiles and
Latin-Americans. Driving force behind invasion (49 captured, 6
killed at Giron). Bitterly opposed tactics and policies of Manolo
Ray. Underground activity difficult to assess because often
attributed old-line Autentico action arm.
III.CURRENT STATUS
A. Estimated Membership: Cuba 200 U. S. 2000 ELSEWHERE
B. Current Activities: Promoting
military recruiting; encouraging Latin American governments to prod U.
S. into military action. VARONA commands sympathy of some
Caribbean heads of state, who have offered training sites. VARONA
bitterly criticized President Kennedy in August 1962 TV broadcast, and
originally opposed Giron prisoners' ransom. Relations currently
strained with inside underground. Active in propaganda.
C. Support Facilities: Financial
support from CRC and from private contributions. Has mail and
diplomatic pouch communications, including means for sending funds into
Cuba.
End of Page
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