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Cryptonym: AMDENIM-1

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Definition:
Alberto Fernandez Hechevarria, aka Echevarria, Cuban exile whose boat Tejana was used in anti-Castro activities. Leader of the paramilitary wing of the Unidad Revolucionario (UR). A source on CIA unsanctioned exile missions such as those conducted by Alpha 66. Former head of the Sugar Institute in Cuba.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
See 104-10172-10081, 12/12/60 note to Dr. Cleveland C. Cram, mentioning a "rich American businessman" financing AMDENIM-1's group: "Alberto Fernandez (the son of Fico FERNANDEZ Casas)...has set up a guerrilla organization of 400 of his ex-employees inside Cuba...(he will) keep it well supplied with money, arms, and ammunition with which to carry out acts of sabotage. Fernandez has asked the following three persons to help him: Eduardo Ferrer, the former Inspector General of the Cuban Air Force, who left Cuba in July 1960; Teddy Whitehouse, a pilot of British extraction, who earlier in 1960 was responsible for setting fire to sugar crops from the air...Geoffrey Roberts of Butler, Roberts Associates Inc., who was RCA's representative in Havana and who was in charge of all microwave and airway installations of RCA until he was forced to leave the Country. He has provided Fernandez's organization with all frequencies of S1 band equipment and microwave equipment made by the Cuban government...they are now able to intercept messages sent out on these channels.'

See 0-0-0 (ALBERTO FERNANDEZ; CUBAN SITUATION) States on 4/20/61, that he can't understand why the Cuban underground was completely blindsided by the Bay of Pigs - they had no idea that it was coming. This document states that the UR "has the only effective underground group in Cuba".

Fernandez was described in 1962 as a UR asset. During summer of 1961 (See 104-10226-10151) Fernandez is described as "the chief squanderer" of $10,000 of CIA money - "no longer an AMGLAD, who freewheeled on grand scale, sending characters like Don Hogan on meaningless public relations trips and running up large long distance telephone expenses." See 104-10172-10121, p. 3: At the end of Sept 1963, there was an AMSPARK team at ISOLATION with AMDENIM-1 as its translator. Former head of the Sugar Institute in Havana Cuba: See https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=52187&relPageId=66&search=%22true_name%22
Sources:

Joan Mellen, The Great Game in Cuba (Skyhorse, 2013)

Mellen describes Fernandez as an excellent rancher, better than Bob Kleberg who ran the King Ranch. From an aristocratic family, attended Choate the same time as JFK. Part of the formation of UR during 1959-60, a mass movement of all social classes, moderately liberal. His willingness to set aside his former life was why the CIA dubbed him AMDENIM-1.

1994.04.25.13:51:29:440005: Reel 5, Folder I - UNIDAD REVOLUCIONIA (UR).

"Alberto Fernandez was involved in paramilitary and maritime ops and did not actively participate in overt political activity."

104-10172-10071: Cl/OA APPROVAL FORM, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ ECHEVARRIA

12/12/60: Fernandez was to be used for infiltration/exfiltration. Joseph Piccolo was his case officer. 201-251850, CI/OA file number 87172. See 104-10061-10115, p. 6, described as Don Hogan's friend. Don Hogan is believed to be Mickey Kappes. Also see this 12/5/60 memo: 12/05/60, 104-10172-10453, Cable from GOLD to Director: "1. Bio data Alberto Fernandez Echevarria follows: born 7 Aug 18 at Santiago de Cuba. Father Federico Fernandez Casas was Senator from Oriente 1944/thru 1952 (also recd 1955 052), mother Dolores Hechevarria y de La Pezuela. Gradate Princeton University New Jersey (BS in Mech Eng class of 1940). Married Ofelia Rionda del Monte with three children. Roman Catholic. Assisted Castro against Batista and was appointed President Cuban Stabilization Institute by Urrutia for period Jan 59 thru Sept 59. 2. Additional info Antonio Blanco Fernandez (see para 1 ref) follows: Father Jose Blanco circa 1922 and mother Maria Fernandez circa 1899 are Spanish. Married to Concepcion Canizares with two sons. Member National Committee Democratic Christian Movement of Camaguey. C/S Comment: *Requested biographic info Alberto Fernandez and Antonio Blanco Fernandez."

104-10173-10190 DISPATCH: OPERATIONAL TRANSMITTAL OF EVALUATION OF FIELD AGENT AMDENIM-1

Prior to April 1961, his boat was considered one of the most important assets in the anti-Castro campaign. He came from the sugar industry and was "used as a reporting agent on the sugar industry in Cuba".

124-10200-10175: No Title

Alberto Fernandez interviewed on 4/26/61 by FBI. He is a leader of the UR/AMSCROLL. Humberto Sori Marin and Rafael Diaz Bencon (note: Rafael Diaz Hanscomb, UR's director of intelligence) were executed by Castro on ot about 4/20/61. His contact in CIA is "RODERICK", who directs his deliveries of arms and supplies inside Cuba by boat. He was surprised by the Bay of Pigs, as he had been telling RODERICK the situation inside Cuba was not right for a popular uprising. On night of 4/11 the SANTA ANA was docked right behind his and used by Nino Diaz for the invasion. But due to the slowness of the boat it took four days to arrive and never landed. See 104-10226-10139, p. 4: "(Fernandez) appears to be the Miami spokesman of the UR since Diaz Hanscom's death."

104-10172-10152: MEMORANDUM: ALBERTO FERNANDEZ ECHEVARRIA (AMDENIM-1)

The subject of this 6/27/62 memo by TFW/PA-PROP Martha Tharpe is "Alberto Fernandez Hechevarria (AMDENIM-1)...early in 1961 FERNANDEZ emerged as the external leader of a group called Union Revolucionario (UR) which I understand was created and financed by an industrialist group, both Cuban and US. The UR never joined the CRC -it claimed to be an apolitical action group - but it was very active in the underground both before and after the invasion attempt. In fact, under Fernandez's guidance, and with the help of CIA (Pekich at HQS PM) the UR made an all-out attempt in mid-1961 and attained some success in gaining control of the other six important internal groups (MRR, MRP, DRE, 30 Nov, MDC, RESCATE). However, this effort in an internal merger fizzled in the early fall of 1961..." (Five of these groups formed a unity pact in mid-62, excluding UR and RESCATE) "Fernandez has always maintained high-level official and personal contacts in Washington. His wealth and reported friendship with the Kennedys make this inevitable. He seems to be well-liked at the State Department and we know that he has been in regular contact with Mr. Hurwitch since mid-1961...(It is) impossible for CIA to maintain anything resembling an agent relationship. Our relations with him have been rocky and will probably continue so."

104-10172-10135: DISPATCH: AMDENIM - PRQ PART 1 ALBERTO FEDERICO FERNANDEZ ECHAVARRIA

12/20/62, PRQ, Part 1: He went to all the best US prep schools, has spent all of his portion of the family's money. He owes money to Kings Ranch, is friends with its owner Michael Malone/AMPATRIN-1. Former director of the Sugar Institute.

104-10172-10096: Dispatch: Amdenim-1. Progress Report 31 May 1963.

May 1963: Focused on trying to keep the Commandos L under control. Second priority is operation DOGGO, working with the fishermen to develop a reception point and committee at sea and a safehouse or holding area on shore from among their fishermen friends in the target area and then return to WAVE.

124-10369-10025: ADMIN FOLDER-I9: HSCA ADMINISTRATIVE FOLDER, LEE HARVEY OSWALD VOLUME XXII

Garrison investigator Jim Alcock said that Jose Lanusa was fingered by Claire Boothe Luce as knowing Oswald before 11/22/63. Lanusa is one of the principals listed on the Garrison chart two sources above this one.

104-10172-10086: PROGRESS REPORT ON AMDENIM-1

June 1964: AMDENIM-1 was upset that AMBIDDY-1/Manuel Artime was being supported by the US government; that Artime's troops were being trained at an ODIBEX/Army installation and off US shores while his troops were not getting that kind of treatment. He felt the biggest mistake he made was sidelining the MV TEJANA, which he had used to infiltrate 60 tons of war materiel, infiltrate 27 men, and exfiltrate 17 men. Shackley concludes he should spend less time conducting raids and more time on the intellectual nature of the problem.

104-10435-10026: MEMO:GARRISON AND THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION

9/4/67 from C/CI/R&A Ray Rocca to AC/WH/COG shows alleged CIA traces/lack of traces for individuals named above. For AMDENIM-1, JMWAVE ties from 12/60 to at least early 1966.

1994.04.28.14:57:28:100005: Reel 8, Folder F - GERALD PATRICK HEMMING

11/2/67, Memo for Distribution by "Donovan Pratt for Ray Rocca", re Chart of Garrison Case Listed on the chart is 161 principals in the Garrison case. One of the categories is "Cubans who may be involved", which includes Fernandez. Others listed are Sergio Arcacha Smith, Frank Bartes, Carlos Bringuier, Julian Buznedo, Jose Manuel Cusco, Rudolph Richard Davis, Fernando Fernandez, FNU Fornes, Manuel Garcia Gonzalez, Leovino Interian, Jose Antonio Lanusa, Victor Manuel Paneque, Orlando Elena Piedra Negueruela, Carlos Quiroga, Emilio Santana, and Miguel Torres.

Contributors:
MFF • Joan Mellen • Larry Hancock • Bill Simpich

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