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Cryptonym: AMCUBE-1

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Definition:
Pedro Jose Lucas Alvarez Tio. During 1961, received in Cuba all equipment targeted for delivery to MDC.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
104-10076-10414: Note that AMCUBE-1 who arrived JMWAVE 5 Sept 1961 as legal traveller and is former Chief Commo and Receptions of MDC in (Cuba).

Marginalia shows that "Lucas" was "CUBE": 104-10271-10207, see below.

104-10146-10106: Considered important to CIA officer Scott Breckinridge to delete the name of "Pepin Fernandez Badue" from any mention in HSCA reports.
Sources:

180-10142-10409: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC)

"After the Bay of Pigs, the MDC split into factions. Rasco remained head of the largest faction and organized delegations in Miami, New York, Chicago, Venezuela and Cuba. The clandestine faction operating in Cuba was led by Pepin Fernandez Badue who used the alias 'Lucas'. When Fernandez arrived in the US on October, 1961, he presented his credentials to the (CRC/AMBUD), claiming he was the representative of the MDC movement in Cuba...The 'Rasco' faction of MDC had as its military chief an independently wealthy young Cuban, Laureano Batista Falla/AMPALM-2...Many MDC members joined the Cuba Committee in 1962 which was formed to counteract the propaganda of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, a pro-Castro organization in the US. The MDC and the DRE worked together to formulate plans for an underground organization to infiltrate Oriente Province."

104-10271-10219: CABLE RE: REQUEST PRITY POA ON PEDRIO JOSE LUCAS ALVAREZ

9/12/61 cable from JMWAVE to Director: "Request priority POA on Pedro Jose Lucas Alvarez...speaks English and Spanish...subject will be used by WAVE for reception in Cuba all equipment infiltrated for MDC." Chief of Station comment: "Re Pedro Alvarez arrival from Havana has message for Hitch (Hicks) from AMBLESS-1 (Alberto del Junco Mesa)."

104-10271-10217: CABLE RE: PEDRO J. L. ALVAREZ STATES AMBLESS-1 NEEDS 70,000 PESOS A MONTH TO SUSTAIN OPERATION

9/18/61 cable from JMWAVE to Director: "Pedro J. L. Alvarez says AMBLESS-1 (Alberto del Junco Mesa) needs 70,000 pesos to sustain operation and do the job expected of him. Largest cost is sustaining and safe housing those who are 'burned' until they can be exited from Cuba. Other costly item is purchase of vehicles of those going into exile. This is security measure so no vehicle can be traced MDC in case it has to be abandoned...WAVE recommends A-1 be given 5000 dollars per month until actual needs are clarified."

124-90041-10053: [No Title]

11/3/61 memo from SAC, Miami to Director, FBI, Changed: Jose Lucas Fernandez Badue: "This title is being changed to reflect Subject's middle name as Lucas. The title was previously carried as Jose Fernandez Badue. "Subject is a member of the Revolutionary Council and exerts full control and leadership over the MDC. He is well-regarded in the anti-Castro movement."

104-10271-10212: CABLE RE: WAVE RCVD 4 NOV SIX SW LETTERS FROM AMCUBE-1 THRU AMBLESS-3

11/9/61 cable from JMWAVE to Director: Six messages were sent from AMCUBE-1 to JMWAVE thru AMBLESS-3 (Violeta del Junco Mesa). Needed money, weapons, equipment and receptions.

104-10271-10207: CABLE RE: REQUEST MOUNT OP SAMPAN PER REF AS FOLLOWS

1/25/62: Exfiltrees in Operation SAMPAN are Pedro Jose Lucas Alvarez Tio (marginalia - CUBE), Magnus Moreno, third exfiltree unidentified.

104-10271-10204: CABLE RE: RE PARA ONE REF AMBLESS/1 CONTACTED 24 AND 25 JAN BY TWO SEPARATE MESSENGERS

2/1/62 cable from JMWAVE to Director: "AMBLESS-1 (Alberto del Junco Mesa)...contacted by two separate messengers who recently arrived WAVE area. Magnus Moreno advises AMCUBE-1 hot and suffering from delusions G-2 about (to) grab him. AMCUBE-1 now in safe place and will probably get well but too hot for further work."

104-10271-10205 CABLE RE: INFO SUBJ REF A GIVEN BY AMBLESS-1 AS FOLLOWS:

2/5/62 cable from JMWAVE to Director: "Info subj (DIR 38437) given by AMBLESS-1/Alberto del Junco Mesa as follows: Magno Bruno Moreno Melo aka Carlos Rivera about 36 yrs birth date 6 Oct year place unknown. Parents Juan and Rosa...profession sugar planter around Central Florida Camaguey. Due WAVE 1101 will pass shortwave letter via AMBLESS-1 and Argentine/(a reference to Tony Sforza?) pouch for delivery to AMCUBE-1. Will ask AMCUBE-1 what his situation is and if too hot continue work to teach Moreno his short wave system and give him materials for same."

104-10178-10007: INFORMATION REPORT-CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT

8/16/62: Three factions in MDC -one is Rasco's, another is Melchar Gaston's, and thttps://www.maryferrell.org/php/crypsuedit.php?type=crypt&id=AMCUBE-1#he third is Laureano Batista where the leadership will be reunited. Lucas (Pepin Fernandez Badue) arrived in the US in October 1961 with false papers saying that he was a main organizer in Cuba. In Cuba he was aligned with the Batistianos. Lucas was being given funds by a US government agency and was a divisive force within MDC. "It is strange that of all the important people in the MDC who have been arrested by the Castro government, Lucas is the only one who was able to avoid arrest. His brother was chief of G-2 for the Castro regime in Oriente province. It is also strange that when Lucas departed Cuba he came out through the Havana airport on a commercial aircraft without even being detained." Also see 104-10271-10201, p. 3 describing Fernandez Badue as a possible "double agent".

124-10204-10483: No Title

1/23/63 memo from SAC, MM to Director, FBI: "On January 4, 1963, Rafael Aguirre...advised that he continues as one of the officers of the Jose Fernandez Badue faction of the...MDC...Aguirre stated that when the office of the MDC was burglarized on June 21, 1962, among the things stolen was a membership list containing the addresses of members in (Miami)...on about January 3, 1963, members in the Miami area received letters containing propaganda against the Fernandez Badue group of the MDC...the person who sent these letters had the stolen membership list. Aguirre advised...the person who sent the letters was Alberto del Junco, who for the past several months has been leading an independent MDC group and has been working very viciously against the Fernandez Badue group..." (at p. 10): Alvarez/AMCUBE-1, now the secretary of MDC in Miami, writes about how "former national coordinator" Junco is the delegate of the underground and has replaced Jose Fernandez Badue. "This documentation is located at (the MDC) office at 1328 West Flagler Street, Miami."

104-10076-10414: JMWAVE CABLE RE SUBJECT NOW PROCESSING FOR US VISA

12/13/63 cable WAVE 8983 from JMWAVE to Director, slugline KEYWAY QUWEB PBRUMEN: "IDEN A ref is AMCUBE-1 who arrived JMWAVE 5 Sept 1961 as legal traveller and is former Chief Commo and Receptions of MDC in (Cuba). Iden B (note: AMBLESS-1) former national coordinator MDC who presently in WAVE area. AMCUBE-1 introduced to JMWAVE contact thru AMBLESS-1 who then in (Cuba). AMCUBE-1 trained S/W and essential PM and returned to Cuba 2 October 1961. Special attempts made mount reception ops with AMCUBE-1 committees but all failed. Jan 1962 was last S/W message received from AMCUBE-1 in which he said he compromised and being followed and requested exfil. In April 1962 AMBLESS-1 learned from several sources AMCUBE-1 suffered severe mental breakdown and confined (to) hospital. FYI it was also during this period that MDC suffered several flaps in which members of leadership arrested. Contact with AMBLESS-1 and AMCUBE-1 formally discontinued Oct 62 for lack of productivity. JMWAVE has no further ops interest AMCUBE-1 but would like (to) know when (he) comes WAVE area for possible debriefing activities since Oct 62 and for updating our info re MDC in Cuba."

Contributors:
Bill Simpich

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