Cryptonym: AMAUTO-1
104-10181-10001: CHRONOLOGIC HISTORY OF ORESTES GUILLERMO RUIZ PEREZ
The document reviews the life and some detailed biographical information regarding Orestes Ruiz-Perez from his birth in Cuba, time in Miami, and later appointments and travel undertaken for the Cuban regime. Among the details revealed in the document is the CIA was using a former associate of Ruiz-Perez to rekindle a past friendship. This served as a pretext to determine if Ruiz-Perez would be susceptible to recruitment but the one official suspected their asset might reveal the CIA's interest. Page 133: As of 1970, married to Nilda Veciana for 16 years - at that time, she was pregnant with their sixth child. She was an English teacher by profession. She lived in NYC near Times Square for five years in the 1950s.
104-10181-10011: CIA FILE ON ORESTES RUIZ-PEREZ, VOL 11.
The slug line of the cable references AMAUTO-1 and discusses Miami Station was attempting to check on reference information on AMAUTO-1. The 201 file referred to for this subject is 201-735296. This 258 page file is whited out after page 119.
Bill Simpich, State Secret, Chapter 3: https://www.maryferrell.org/pages/State_Secret_Chapter3.html
August-Sept 63: "Guillermo Ruiz Perez flew into Mexico in August to serve as the new commercial attaché, and was greeted at the airport by Azcue. On September 23, an anti-Castro activist in Miami received a letter from a friend inside Cuba, tipping him off that Ruiz was with Cuban intelligence and on a mission to penetrate counterrevolutionary forces. However, the FBI had reported a year earlier that Guillermo Ruiz had a history of supporting the anti-Castro group Alpha 66. See 104-10103-10156 and 180-10144-10151, p. 4: Alpha 66 chief Antonio Veciana, whose loyalties were to military intelligence and not the CIA, provided a cagey description of Ruiz as "dissatisfied" and "susceptible". Ruiz certainly looks like a double agent. On September 27, an alleged phone tap revealed that Cuban consulate receptionist Silvia Duran had contacted Guillermo Ruiz at 10:54 am, complaining in Spanish that "he wants to speak to the consul". It looks like someone may have impersonated both Duran and Ruiz, in an effort to link Ruiz to Oswald. The evidence indicates Oswald arrived in Mexico City after daybreak on the 27th, got a hotel room, and headed directly to the Cuban consulate. Duran testified that Oswald first entered the Cuban consulate right about 11 am. Keep in mind that Duran is the Cuban consul’s receptionist - because her next statement is a demand that Ruiz provide the consul's phone number. Ruiz responded that the consul’s number was 11-28-47. Duran said "thank you" and ended the call. Ruiz has now provided Duran with her own phone number, the number that she answered many times every day. What’s wrong with this call? It’s very simple. As Larry Hancock says, “when do you ask for a telephone number, get yours as the answer, and say thanks?” Duran’s job was to answer Azcue’s phone at 11-28-47, and to connect the call with the consul when necessary. I think that an American spy impersonated Ruiz on the Cuban line, and it certainly wasn’t Duran on the other end."
Fabian Escalante, JFK: The Cuban Files, pp. 130-132
9/27/63: Guillermo Ruiz was the translator in the conversation between Azcue and Oswald. He told Fabian Escalante that although he was not an expert in physiognomy, it was his opinion that the Oswald he saw on Mexican television was the one he saw in the consulate that day. Antonio Garcia Lara saw Oswald as he was leaving, and he had the same impression as Ruiz. Both of them disagreed with Azcue. Also see 180-10147-10240, p 83: "At the time, there were newspaper reports Veciana said that 'Bishop' tried to persuade him to travel to Mexico to propose to his relative Guillermo Ruiz, a high-ranking officer in Castro's intelligence service stationed in Mexico City at the Cuban embassy, that "he would pay Ruiz a large amount of money to publicly say that it was him and his wife who had met with Oswald."" Veciana, however, was never successful in contacting Ruiz and when he mentioned it to Bishop a couple of months later, Bishop told him to forget it."
104-10220-10050: CARD ON RUIZ PEREZ, AMAUTO-1 PHOTOS AVAILABLE
Re 11/22/63: Undated CIA document: "RUIZ, Orestes Guillermo 201-735296, AMAUTO-1 Photos available, DGI. See also (REDACTION) IGO 'P' folder LA/MP. Born 10 Feb 1930 Havana, Cuba. Was in asylum in Mexico during Batista era, being anti-Batista regime. Emigrated to U.S. in 50's. Reportedly lived in U.S. five years (specifics unknown) illegally. Worked as butcher for Polish-America in Miami, Fla. Was in touch with underworld in Miami, Fla. Returned to Cuba clandestinely when Castro came to power. Involved in terrorist activities during Batista regime. 2. Was Commercial Counsel at Cuban Embassy Mexico City in 1963. Andy HUCKNER from Texas, pro-Cuban, pro-Russian, anti-U.S. who made anti-Kennedy remark was in touch with RUIZ at Cuban Embassy Mexico City in 63 and 64. RUIZ flew from Mexico City to Havana on 22 Nov 63. See chronology re RUIZ. CH."
104-10103-10088: CABLE GIVING TRANSLATIONS OF MESSAGES ON CUBANA FLIGHT DELAY IN MEXICO CITY
Re: 11/22/63 - 11/30/63 cable WAVE 8316 from JMWAVE to Director, slugline RYBAT TYPIC GEKFOR AMWEE COMMO: Following is translation (WAVE 8270): "MSG 45. AMWEE-1 to (case officer). Our condolences on death (of) President. Mauri reports on 22 Nov the Cubana aircraft delayed its departure for five hours from 1700 to 2200 waiting for an important passenger who arrived (from) Mexico City in private twin motor aircraft at 2130 hours Mexi time transferring directly from his plane to the Cubana plane without going through Customs or Immigration. Traveled in pilot's cabin. Mauri returned on same aircraft to Cuba."
180-10142-10196: Perez, Orestes Guillermo Ruiz, CIA, Files;
This is a collection of notes regarding Orestes Guillermo Ruiz-Perez and it verifies his 201 file is numbered 201-0735296 and this matches the prior document listing for AMAUTO-1. The file also corroborates AMAUTO-1 was still of Agency interest for recruitment and his travels to Madrid, which matches the time frame when Ruiz-Perez was sent to lead the Cuban Embassy in Madrid and was approached by the CIA via his former associate. In one portion of the file, Ruiz-Perez is noted as the "Subj (AMAUTO-1)". https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32271500.pdf
104-10181-10011: CIA FILE ON ORESTES RUIZ-PEREZ, VOL 11.
According to the first cited document above (104-10181-10001) Alexander Samko visited Orestes Ruiz-Perez during 1970 to reestablish their past friendship but this was a pretext to survey recruitment possibilities for the CIA. This related document seeks to determine the best process to approach AMAUTO-1 in May 1970 by a former associate to provide a "relaxed exchange". The yet unnamed person would pay a friendly visit to AMAUTO-1 at his residence and while contriving the possible excuses AMAUTO-1 would offer to prevent an interaction officials state "He might claim press of business or other commitments thereby refusing see (redacted) in home but might suggest that Samko visit (redacted) Monday morning." This visit sought to rekindle a past association between AMAUTO-1 and Samko during the same period the CIA was using Alexander Samko to survey Orestes Ruiz-Perez. Based upon the exact same name, actions, and timeline of the person used by the Agency, this strongly infers that AMAUTO-1 was Orestes Ruiz-Perez...(at p. 223): "Check with Chile desk to see who Tello is. Maybe THIS finally is our handle into AMAUTO-1." At page 151: By 1970, it was believed that Ruiz might be "approachable" for defection.