216. Memorandum from Battle to Swank, October 161

[Facsimile Page 1]

Memoranda of Conversation Between the Secretaryand Venezuelan Foreign Minister Falcon-Briceño

The following memoranda of conversation, dated October 6, between the Venezuelan Foreign Minister and the Secretary are referred for approval prior to distribution:

Tab A—Perez Jimenez Extradition Case;

Tab B—The Cuban Problem; and

Tab C—U.S. Congressman Rousselot’s Verbal Attack on President Betancourt.

These memoranda were drafted by Mr. Moskowitz, the Venezuelan Desk Officer. The Secretary’s remarks are sidelined in red. These memoranda are considered suitable for distribution to CIA.

L.D. Battle

Tab A

[Facsimile Page 2]

SUBJECT

  • Pérez Jiménez Extradition Case

PARTICIPANTS

  • Dr. Marcos Falcón-Briceño, Foreign Minister of Venezuela
  • Dr. Jose Antonio Mayobre, Ambassador of Venezuela
  • The Secretary
  • ABA—Mr. Coerr
  • EST—Mr. Moskowitz

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister had requested an appointment with the Secretary to discuss several matters of mutual interest.

Dr. Falcón-Briceño brought up the subject of the Marcos Pérez Jiménez extradition case. He touched briefly on the legal developments to date and then expressed the concern of the Venezuelan Government that Pérez Jiménez may attempt to flee the country as the time approaches for a verdict by the Appellate Court. He said that he did not believe there was a great likelihood that Pérez Jiménez might flee [Typeset Page 516] before such a moment. However, he mentioned that Mr. Westwood, of the law firm representing the Venezuelan Government in the case, had expressed his fear to the Venezuelan Government and to United States authorities that Pérez Jiménez might take advantage of the absence of surveillance to make good his escape.

The Secretary referred to the legal limitations confronting the United States executive authorities in this particular matter. He pointed out that the Department had expressed its concern to the Justice Department and asked that the necessary measures be undertaken to prevent Pérez Jiménez from fleeing illegally. He also stated that when the case was resumed the Department of Justice might undertake to approach the Court about Pérez Jiménez’s bail.

[Facsimile Page 3]

Tab B

SUBJECT

  • The Cuban Problem

PARTICIPANTS

  • Dr. Marcos Falcón-Briceño, Foreign Minister of Venezuela
  • Dr. Jose Antonio Mayobre, Ambassador of Venezuela
  • The Secretary
  • ARA—Mr. Coerr
  • EST—Mr. Moskowitz

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister had requested an appointment with the Secretary to discuss several matters of mutual interest.

The Secretary asked the Foreign Minister for his opinion of the Cuban problem.

The Foreign Minister immediately referred to a recent speech by President Betancourt in which the latter had stated publicly that only humanitarian reasons were preventing a break in diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Cuba. The Minister pointed out that there were still close to 70 asylees in the Venezuelan Embassy in Habana for whom the Cuban Government had thus far refused to issue safe conduct passes. Among these were former Cuban President Urrutia and his young daughter (granddaughter?). The latter was suffering from a serious illness and the Minister thought that it was possible that she might die in the Venezuelan Embassy if permission were not granted for her to leave to receive medical treatment. He said also that the Venezuelan Chargé had recently returned to Habana with orders to do everything possible to get the Cuban Government to issue safe conduct passes for the asylees remaining in the Embassy. In response to a question he answered that about 70% of the asylees in the Venezuelan Embassy, who had numbered more than 200 a few weeks ago, had [Typeset Page 517] been given safe conduct passes and had departed with the assistance of a Venezuelan sponsored airlift.

[Facsimile Page 4]

The Foreign Minister mentioned that there were numerous Cubans living in Venezuela who were divided into pro- and anti-Castro groups. They were creating problems for the Venezuelan Government by engaging not only in polemics but also in what amounted to terrorist activities against one another.

The Foreign Minister stated that Venezuela’s position on Cuba was well known to the Department and alluded again to President Betancourt’s recent speech, mentioned above, as being indicative of the Venezuelan Government’s antipathy for the Castro regime. The Minister stated that he had heard the rumor that there might be some early action from the Inter-American Peace Committee on the Cuban problem and asked whether we had any information on this.

Mr. Coerr stated that we were interested in possible action by the Inter-American Peace Committee as were a number of Latin American states.

  1. Transmits memoranda of conversation, between Rusk and Foreign Minister Salcon-Briceño. Perez Jimenez extradition case; Cuban Problem. Confidential. 4 pp. DOS, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 331.