Office of the Historian

101. Telegram From the Embassy in Brazil to the Department of State0

Rio de Janeiro, October 28, 1962, 1 p.m.

902. Department telegram 1055.1 Pursuant Martin telecon Saturday 2145 instructing to proceed on reference telegram,2 I contacted Hermes Lima and visited him at home from 2330 to 0030. Began by saying this extremely important and sensitive diplomatic initiative being made under direct instructions of Secretary and requiring utmost secrecy, with perhaps vital bearing on peace. Related substance introductory paragraph, emphasizing that talk must be with Fidel alone, [1 line of source text not declassified]. Then gave him Portuguese translation eight numbered points, typed on plain paper.

[1 paragraph (12 lines of source text) not declassified]

Hermes felt that new suggestion was a perfectly natural supplement to what they had been doing and said he would undertake it. I pointed out certain essential differences, notably effort to appeal personally to Fidel to divorce himself from Soviet control, referring to our previous talks with Dantas and to evidences some months back of friction between Fidel and Russians. [5-1/2 lines of source text not declassified] I emphasized that Khrushchev speech Saturday should be final proof to Fidel that Soviets interested only in using Cuba to pursue own security interests, while creating new dangers for Cuba.

[12 lines of source text not declassified] Promised to advise me on action taken.

Gordon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.56361/10-2862. Top Secret; Niact; Eyes Only. Received in the Department of State at 2:01 a.m. on October 28.↩
  2. Document 81.↩
  3. October 27. No record of this telephone conversation has been found.↩