Cryptonym: QUANTUM-50
A memo from CIA officer Henry D. Hecksher in May 1964 stated that Artime's mother link to her son used to be through the Spanish Commercial Attaché in Havana. Although it is possible that the link was renewed between May and June of 1964, when the memo about QUANTUM-50 informing Artime about his father was written, it appears likely that QUANTUM-50 was probably not the Spanish Commercial Attaché in Havana.
A NSA document in June of 1966 stated that "we were also able to prove the connection between Counselor Jaime Caldevilla and the ex-official of the Spanish Embassy Alejandro Vergara ((A)), whose departure from the (SG) it was also necessary to request, as well as the participation of both in crimes against the integrity of the State and the illegal removal of foreign currency and jewels from the country." The document also noted that "both Vergara and Counselor Caldevilla have known of the plans for sabotage and assassinations, including those against the Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Government, Major Fidel Castro Ruz."
Furthermore, the document stated that "the authorities have proof that one or the other maintains relations with the well-known counterrevolutionary leader Manuel Artime, whom Mr. Vergara visited in Miami sometime before the mercenary invasion was crushed at Playa Giron, in April 1961."
(2004) Fabian Escalante: The Cuba Project: CIA Covert Operations 1959-62
Pages 125-126: ..."In the early days of 1962, Tony Varona's organization in Cuba, was as demoralized as the other groups. At this time, CIA agent Norberto Martinez, who had been infiltrated into the island a few weeks earlier, began to recruit the leaders of Rescate to set up intelligence networks, diverting them from political activities. Varona knew nothing of this, and through a CIA collaborator - the information attaché at the Spanish Embassy, Alejandro Vergara Maury - he sent his accomplices a long letter of instructions and the new capsules made in the laboratory of Joseph Scheider, chief of the CIA Technical Services Division. At the end of April, Vergara summoned to his office in the Spanish embassy in Havana the contact given him by Varona, who turned out to be Maria Leopoldina Grau Alsina, better known as Polita, the niece of the former President Ramon Grau San Martin. Days later, Polita Grau again went to the Spanish embassy at Vergara's request. There she met with Jaime Capedevilla, attaché and spy, who questioned her about the possibility of carrying out the operation. He emphasized the instructions given by Varona, who had been pressuring him in repeated telephone calls to meet with the conspirators. Polita met with Alberto Cruz Caso, his brother Ramon, and Manuel de Jesus Campanioni Souza, a former gambler at the casinos in the Sans Souci and the Hotel Havana Libre, and an old friend of the U.S. gangster-turned-patriot Santos Trafficante. She explained the orders from her boss and displayed the capsules. 'Our task consists of finding a person who can give the poison to Fidel without arousing suspicion,' she explained. 'I've been thinking about our connections at the Hotel Havana Libre. Perhaps one of the men from the organization is willing to take on the mission. We all know that Fidel frequents that place, and an opportunity will present itself...' In that simple manner, Polita Grau outlined the assassination..."
(2022) Fabian Escalante: 634 Ways to Kill Fidel
Pages 127-128: ..."'There's only one detail left to work out,' Martinez said. 'How are we going to bring the capsules from Miami?' 'I reckon Vergara could bring them,' Polita interjected. (5: Alejandro Vergara Mauri was the information attaché at the Spanish embassy in Havana from July 1960 to January 1964. Also acting as a CIA agent, he was complicit in a plot to kill Fidel Castro by bringing poison pills to Cuba). 'He's a person we can trust, a diplomat at the Spanish Embassy working under Caldevilla's orders, and can travel without risk to Miami, collect them and hand them over to me in the embassy. As you know, I'm often there and my visit wouldn't be seen as suspicious.' So, Norberto Martinez's second and most important mission was arranged. A few days later the spy communicated with his headquarters and a CIA vessel picked him up in the same area in Pinar del Rio and took him back to the lair..." - - - Page 132: ...(note: Testimony of Mario Morales Mesa, Havana, September 1993) "By that period the group was already using various means of communication with Miami, including a RR44 radio receiver and encoded letters. They also had access to the diplomatic bags of the embassies of Spain and Italy, as diplomats and CIA agents Alejandro Vergara and Jaime Caldevilla worked in the former, and Massimo Muratori in the latter..."
12/20/62 letter: "The following is a copy of a letter which was delivered to us to give (to) chief of intelligence at Gitmo - To the major of the Gitmo base: I, Melchor Aedo Rodriguez, attest that Jorge Medina Bringuier, war name (deleted) acted as national coordinator of the DRE...and that DRE was supported by the Cuban government in order to (illegible) or introduce spies into the US and Latin America. In conversations (between?) Mongo and a certain Jorge, a G-2 officer and Mongo's political (illegible), (Richard?) Beal's orders told him they had plans to infiltrate more personnel (deleted) the Gitmo base...When a supposed member of the DRE who in reality was a G-2 (deleted) he was being followed or tried to flee to the mountains or make a (clandestine?) trip to the US, it was always Mongo who was used. Mongo had direct (contact?) with the insurgents and also as national coordinator of the largest (movement?) in Cuba he was in contact with other movements. These clandestine (illegible) left with no difficulty and among the seven or ten who left in a boat (there?) were always two or three spies. The Cuban government also employed (its?) spies in the embassies, especially the Spanish and Western German (illegible) Mongo had contacts in the Spanish embassy and had been hidden there (illegible) Don Jaime Caldevilla (possibly QUANTUM-51) or Mr. Vergara. The Cuban government planned to finish with the DRE as soon as Salvat (illegible) in Cuba and Mongo along with some others would make a pretense of (fleeing for?) the US. In view of Mongo's high position in Cuba, in the US he would (illegible) obtain a position of importance and for this he needed the backing of (important?) persons like ambassadors. There are spies in the embassies of (illegible) Mexico and Brazil and one in the Venezuelan embassy; also in other embassies which have broken relations with Cuba and the spies have more plans to (illegible) respective countries..."
10/02/63: Memo from Director of FBI to Director, CIA (Attention: Deputy Director, Plans): Subject: INTELLIGENCE MATTERS - CUBA: INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA: "We have received the following information regarding Abelardo Alfonso Garcia Berry from a confidential source who has furnished reliable information in the past. He arrived in the United States from Cuba via Spain on January 22, 1963. He had been a member of the editorial staff of the newspaper 'Revolucion' in Cuba up to the time he left Cuba. He had been anticipating his 'defection' for some time and such an opportunity presented itself when he was sent to Spain by 'Revolucion' on an assignment...On May 2, 1963, Garcia, who was residing at 1880 Southwest 22nd Avenue, Miami, Florida, advised our Miami Office that his papers are contained in two packages which weigh a total of twenty pounds. He stated that he had delivered them to Alejandro Vergara, Chancellor in the Spanish Embassy, Havana, Cuba. Garcia stated that Vergara was one of the two most important officials in the Spanish Embassy and his personal friend. He requested Vergara to hold them until instructions were received from him as to what disposition should be made of the papers...Garcia advised that he has had no contact with Vergara since his departure from Cuba..."
104-10163-10041: MEMO: AMWORLD - WITHHELD
05/09/64: Memo from Henry D. Hecksher, WH/SA/SO/HH, to Chief, WH/SA/External Operations Branch: "1. Subject, who is Manuel Artime's (AMBIDDY-1) aged mother, has last been reported as hiding out in Iglesia Cristo de Limpias in Havana city. 2. Artime has been without news from her for the last two months. His link to her used to be the Spanish Commercial Attaché in Havana. 3. We have promised Artime to study ways and means of contacting her in order to ascertain her state of health, her husband's whereabouts and any personal needs she may have. 4. Can you come up with any ideas?"
104-10163-10041: MEMO: AMBIDDY-1'S FATHER
Memo from Henry D. Hecksher, WH/SA/SO/HH: Titled: AMWORLD Meeting in (REDACTION) 7-8 June 1964: "1. AMBIDDY-1 (Manuel Artime Buesa) claims to have learned via QUANTUM-50 that his father is hiding in the home of a friend in the Havana area. 2. AMBIDDY-1 senior sent word that he is in touch with some old CP buddies who have offered to help him get out of Cuba. AMBIDDY-1 is anxious to pass a message to his father but not via QUANTUM-50 because of his distrust in the political orientation of 50's government. In this message, AMBIDDY-1 wants to suggest to his father that he induce an 'old CP' emissary to meet with AMBIDDY-1 outside of Cuba, e.g. in Mexico. AMBIDDY-1 believes that the rift between AMTHUG's (Fidel Castro) regime and the old CP offers unprecedented opportunities to cause mischief."
09/20/64: Airtel from SAC, Miami to Director: Titled: Secret Organization of Continental Action (OSAC): IS - CUBA; Neutrality Matters (OO: Miami): ..."CIA is aware that the MRR is responsible for this attack. He expressed the opinion that repercussions to the U.S. and the Cuban exiles may be serious should the Spanish authorities learn the MRR is responsible for this attack for the following reasons: CIA supports MRR. MRR elements inside Cuba use the Spanish Embassy to send and receive messages. Money is supplied the MRR in Cuba through the Spanish Embassy. Spain is used by the MRR in other endeavors against the Castro regime. In addition, the MRR and other Cuban exile groups use bases in the Dominican Republic. The DR and Spain enjoy good relations which may be jeopardized. PSI believes the Spanish government will learn the true facts in this matter because many members of the MRR still have ties in Spain..."
144-10001-10158: SPAINSH COUNSELOR IN HAVANA DECLARED PERSONA NON GRATA
06/03/66: NSA document: Pages 10-11: '"We were also able to prove the connection between Counselor Jaime Caldevilla and the ex-official of the Spanish Embassy Alejandro Vergara ((A)), whose departure from the (SG) it was also necessary to request, as well as the participation of both in crimes against the integrity of the State and the illegal removal of foreign currency and jewels from the country. Both kept as refugees in the Spanish headquarters two telegraph operators in charge of intercepting transmitted radio telegraph communications by means of radio sets. They also recruited a telegraph operator from the Ministry of Communications who was in charge of the espionage work of that organization. At that time Counsellor Jaime Caldevilla was personally concerned with verifying the reports supplied by these two individuals, with the aid of an employee of the Embassy, Adela Rodil Rodriguez ((A)), and Carmen Jimenez Gomez. He give direct orders to the latter. 'Both Vergara and Counselor Caldevilla have known of the plans for sabotage and assassinations, including those against the Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Government, Major Fidel Castro Ruz. Both were exposed by leaders of counterrevolutionary organizations, having offered, on one occasion, to supply to one group rifles with telescopic sights. The authorities have proof that one or the other maintains relations with the well-known counterrevolutionary leader Manuel Artime, whom Mr. Vergara visited in Miami sometime before the mercenary invasion was crushed at Playa Giron, in April 1961, with the knowledge of Counselor Jaime Caldevilla..."