Office of the Historian

89. Summary of Conclusions of a Mini-Special Coordination Committee Meeting1

Washington, April 9, 1980, 8:35–10:00 a.m.

SUBJECT

  • Cuban Refugees in the Peruvian Embassy (S)

PARTICIPANTS

  • State

    • Amb. William Bowdler
    • Amb. Frank Loy
    • Miles Frechette

  • OSD

    • Frank Kramer
    • Gordon Schuller

  • Justice

    • David Crosland

  • OMB

    • John White
    • James Barie

  • JCS

    • LGEN J.S. Pustay
    • LTC Edward Cummings

  • DCI

    • Jack Davis
    • [name not declassified]

  • White House

    • David Aaron
    • Robert Maddox
    • Phil Wise
    • Gilbert Colon
    • Tom Laney

  • NSC

    • Robert Pastor
    • Lincoln Bloomfield

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS

At the Peruvian Embassy. 3,000–11,000 Cubans are crowded on the Peruvian Embassy grounds in Havana, and despite some Cuban provisions for food, water, and medicine, the sanitary conditions are growing [Page 202] more and more serious.2 The Cuban security officials have said they would permit people to go back and forth, but most people fear arrest and are not moving. All the Peruvian Embassy officials have left Cuba. Peru has spoken to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which in turn has spoken with the Cuban government. The Cubans said they do not need any help at this time. The UN Human Rights Commission has said that it is difficult for them to act while the Cubans are still in Havana, but it would help once they left. ICEM could also be helpful in transporting the Cubans out. Costa Rica wanted to raise the issue in the OAS, but Peru asked them to hold off. Chile might also take some refugees. The Andean Foreign Ministers are meeting in Lima today to discuss the problem. (S)

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron File, Box 9, Cuba, 12/79–4/80. Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. A discussion paper for the meeting is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor, Country, Box 17, Refugees, 4/1–12/80.↩
  2. According to Smith’s memoirs, on April 1, a busload of Cubans wishing to exit the country entered the Peruvian Embassy, where they received asylum. In response, Castro removed the Embassy’s Cuban guards, thus allowing all Cubans wishing to live elsewhere to seek asylum at the Embassy. Approximately 10,800 Cubans decided to leave. (Smith, The Closest of Enemies, pp. 209–210) Cuban officials announced on April 5 that the Cubans who had sought asylum in the Peruvian Embassy could leave the country. (“Cuba to Allow Exodus of 1,500 in Asylum At Peruvian Embassy,” The Washington Post, April 6, p. A18)↩