671. Memorandum from Helms to McCone, May 11
SUBJECT
- Interview of U.S. Newswoman with Fidel Castro Indicating Possible Interest in Rapprochement with the United States
1. On [less than 1 line not declassified] April 1963 [less than 1 line not declassified] U.S. newswoman associated with the [less than 1 line not declassified] returned to Miami from Cuba where she had interviewed a number of high-ranking Cuban officials, including Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Vilma Espin de Castro, Raul Roa, and Rene Vallejo. Her conversations with Fidel Castro totaled about ten hours and included one session on 22 April which lasted from 12:45 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. Following is an account of those conversations and [less than 1 line not declassified]s observations concerning the present Cuban situation.
2. It appears that Fidel Castro is looking for a way to reach a rapprochement with the United States Government, probably because he is aware that Cuba is in a state of economic chaos. The October blockade hurt the Cuban economy. [less than 1 line not declassified] believes that Castro talked about this matter with her because she is known as a progressive and she talked with him in frank, blunt, honest terms; Castro has little opportunity to hear this type of conversation. Castro indicated that if a rapprochement was wanted President John F. Kennedy would have to make the first move. In response to the statement that Castro would probably have to make the first move, Castro asked what the U.S. wanted from him. When a return to the original aims of the revolution was suggested, Fidel said that perhaps he, President Kennedy, [Facsimile Page 2] and Premier Nikita Khrushchev should discuss this. [less than 1 line not declassified] said that she thought it was a more likely topic for Castro to discuss with President Kennedy. Castro said that he doubted that President Kennedy would talk with him without Khrushchev being present. When [less than 1 line not declassified] pressed Castro for further information on how a rapprochement could be achieved he said that steps were already being taken. Pressed further, [Typeset Page 1723] he said he considered the U.S. limitation on exile raids to be a proper step toward accommodation. It is [less than 1 line not declassified]s opinion that Castro wants to pursue the discussion of rapprochement with proper progressive spokesmen. Based on her discussions with the following persons [less than 1 line not declassified] feels that Guevara, Raul Castro, and Vilma Espin oppose any idea of rapprochement; Roa and Vallejo favor these discussions.
3. Castro asked [less than 1 line not declassified] who had previously interviewed Khrushchev, for an appraisal of him. When [less than 1 line not declassified] said that Khrushchev was a shrewd politician who would break and dispose of Castro when the Soviets no longer needed him, Castro made no comment but only nodded his head as if in skeptical agreement. [less than 1 line not declassified] had no insight or advance notice on Castro’s travel to Moscow.
4. Castro appears healthy, has no visible nervous twitches or tics, and was calm, rational, humorous, and non-argumentative during all discussions. Vallejo, Castro’s personal physician, also acts as secretary, interpreter, and confidant.
5. Castro is in complete control in Cuba. No major decision is made without him. Neither Guevara nor Raul Castro would be able to rule Cuba if Fidel were assassinated.
6. In discussions with Castro about terror and secret police methods [less than 1 line not declassified] received the impression that he was not completely aware of the extent to which terror has gripped Cuba.
[Facsimile Page 3]7. Castro refers to Soviet troops in Cuba as “technicals” and indicated that they have a training mission in Cuba. He made the point, however, that if an internal revolt takes place in Cuba Soviet “technicals” would fight with Castro to put down a counterrevolution.
8. [less than 1 line not declassified] said that Emil Stadelhofer, Swiss Ambassador to Cuba, is an overworked, timid man who does not have Castro’s ear. She believes that the Swiss need a larger staff in Habana and that Stadelhofer needs recognition for a job well done. [less than 1 line not declassified] also said that in her opinion the Western diplomatic community in Habana has no influence on Castro or his government.
9. While discussing a possible rapprochement Castro asked for full assessments of President and Mrs. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, and wanted to know if Adlai Stevenson had power in the U.S. and if his voice was heard in President Kennedy’s councils. Castro commented that James Donovan was a good man; it was [less than 1 line not declassified]’s impression that Donovan had not talked politics with Castro but that Donovan had a platform from which he could launch political discussions on the philosophy of revolution.
10. [less than 1 line not declassified] said that she was willing to undertake further discussions with Castro concerning a possible rap[Typeset Page 1724]prochement. Other possible candidates whom she suggested were Edwin M. Martin, Adlai Stevenson, and Luis Munoz Marin. She also mentioned Donovan but was not quite certain that he was progressive enough. Lisa Howard is willing to arrange a meeting for any U.S. Government spokesman with Castro through Vallejo, who will be the point of contact.
11. [less than 1 line not declassified] definitely wants to impress the U.S. Government with two facts: Castro is ready to [Facsimile Page 4] discuss rapprochement and she herself is ready to discuss it with him if asked to do so by the U.S. Government.
- Interview of U.S. newswoman with Castro indicating possible interest in rapprochement with the United States. Secret. 4 pp. Kennedy Library, NSF, Countries Series, Cuba, Intelligence Material, Vol. V.↩