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Cryptonym: AMEER-1

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Definition:
Aureliano Sanchez Arango, head of the AAA, a wing of the Autentico party in Cuba. Sanchez was associated with Gerry Hemming and initially endorsed the anti-Castro activities of Hemming's Interpen group.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
Interpen was a short lived alliance - created largely for public relations and fund raising purposes - between the followers of Hemming and Frank Sturgis. Interpen members performed para military training for a limited number of Sanchez Arango's AAA members. The shakiness of the Sanchez Arango-Hemming alliance can be seen in the 1961 memo below where Sanchez Arango says he has heard from the FBI that Hemming is a Cuban G-2 penetration agent, and in 1962 where he is working with him. Whether Hemming knew it or not, the Office of Security gave him a confidential "ad hoc clearance" back in October 1960. A dominant leader, AMEER-1 was sometimes referred to simply as AMEER.
Sources:

104-10061-10115: LIST OF NAMES RE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION

Aureliano Sanchez Arango is identified on this page and the following page as AMEER-1 to the HSCA by the CIA. His bio number is 201-19245.

p.1154: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958-1960, Volume VI: Cuba

1958-1960: The five component groups of the FRD are "Organizacion Authentica (OA) led by Antonio ("Tony") de Varona; Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionario (MRR) nominally led by Manuel Artime; Organizacion Triple A led by Aureliano Sanchez Arango; Movemiento Democratico Cristiano (MDC) led by Jose Ignacio Rasco; and Agrupacion Montecristi led by Justo Carrillo." A slightly earlier State Dept. report deletes the AAA and substitutes the Cuban Association of Cane Growers: http://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=59594&relPageId=1132

124-10285-10038: [No Title]

3/4/60 FBI report by Thomas H. Errion to Director: "At the time Aureliano Sanchez Arango was in charge of the Prio group in Cuba." (at p. 9) In April 1957, (according to B. Perdomo, former chief of investigations who gave the FBI legat this info on 5/9/57 as MM T-4) Madan and his colleague Aureliano Sanchez/AMEER-1 were targeted for death by certain elements of the "Prio cause" because they did not properly distribute all the weapons on the presidential palace attack. "(Perdomo) said that this report of April 27, 1957, indicated that Sanchez had accused Madan of being the only one responsible for the failure of the attack on the (Presidential) Palace."

104-10168-10054: CABLE: AMWAIL IN APPARENT ACCORD WITH NEW ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN

9/10/60, Memo from Twicker (Howard Hunt) to Director: "AMWAIL...would not support AMHAWK (Tony Varona)for chairmanship and glad to learn that neither would Twicker...AMWAIL characterized AMEER as trouble maker."

104-10168-10398: CABLE: AURELIANO SANCHEZ ARANGO HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE FRD

10/7/60, Havana to Director: "Gordon M. Biniaris from AMCALL-1 reports: 1. Aureliano Sanchez Arango has withdrawn from the FRD (AMCIGAR); 2. Justo Carrillo and Felipe Pazos will be integrated into Manuel Ray's...MRP."

180-10141-10365: No Title

10/60: "Sanchez Arango was elected chairman (of the FRD) but served only briefly, resigning with the complaint that the US government had too much control over the planning of the invasion."

180-10143-10182: [No Title]

10/15/60 cable states that AMEER has left FRD and has joined the Diaz Lanz groups. This cable also reports that William Morgan has been taken to Escambray hills (a note after this says in handwriting "JAIL").

1993.07.27.09:30:32:310600 HSCA REVIEW FILE FOR GERALD P. HEMMING, JR

Re 1961-1962: 8/24/75 FOIA request by Gerald Hemming, requesting documents regarding "operations with Cuban exile (anti-Castro group) headed by Aureliano Sanchez Arango that included employees of Howard R. Hughes (Hughes tool company), including C. Osment Moody et al., organized crime figures, and CIA operatives, from 1961 to 1962." For more on Moody, see 180-10108-10086, p. 13: "(Moody was a) representative of Howard Hughes and conduit for Hughes support of anti-Castro groups in Miami..." Also see 104-10167-10320, 10/20/60: "C. Osmunt Moody, partner M&M Dredging & Construction Corp., phoned KUJUMP/Domestic Contacts Division 19 Oct. Said QDDALE/William Pawley had called him and instructed as follows: Get Radio Cuba Independiente in line or it will be shut down; contact AMHAWK/CRC leader Tony Varona and tell him get in touch with his local (CIA) contact; also said 'they' did not like attitude AMHAWK taking. Radio Cuba Independiente broadcasts from boat owned by Moody and operates...(from) British West Indies...QDDALE said his instructions came from 'Jake' (probably Jake Engler/Jacob Esterline, C/WH/4)."

104-10297-10052: CABLE-AMEMBER ADVISES THAT AMEER PLANNING 29 MARCH MIAMI RALLY TO PROTEST AMBANG COMPLEX IN AMBUD

3/27/61, Droller at JMBELL to JMWAVE: With AMEER planning a large protest rally in Miami to protest the participation of Manuel Ray and allies (the AMBANG complex) within AMBUD/CRC, WAVE is asked to block the 3/29 meeting from happening, or at least "minimize pol and prop impact".

104-10273-10002 CABLE: ARANGO TOLD ROQUE YESTERDAY THAT JERRY PATRICK BEEN DESCRIBED TO HIM BY A BUREAU MAN IN MIAMI AS A CASTRO

6/29/61, memo from "Daniels": "Arango told (Alberto) Roque today that Jerry Patrick REDACTED has been described to him by a Bureau man in Miami as a Castro G-2 infiltrator. I trust our people are aware of this. Arango said his people in Miami were afraid to move against Patrick because of his strong personality and influence he has over those under his jurisdiction." Whether Hemming knew it or not, the Office of Security gave him a confidential "ad hoc clearance" back in October 1960: http://maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=2666#relPageId=3&tab=page

198-10005-10014: No Title

8/2/62: Memo from Col. Patchell to General Edward Lansdale: "In follow-up on Jerry Patrick Hemming - CIA has a dossier about an inch thick - as far as they are concerned he is OK - is not their man - but covers thru his actions much of their action. They consider him helpful to their cause, extracts of CIA reports are second attached. Col. Patchell". A note afterwards says, "Thanks. EL." Two pages later is an article by Jerry Buchanan about the camp at Pontchartrain set up by Hemming.

124-10291-10323: No Title

Oct 1962: Sanchez Arango is identified as a foreign minister under Prio, and has had a falling out with Garceran. After a period of inactivity, he is active again and his men are training with Hemming at No Name Key. Investigator Sam Benton believes Sanchez's funds are coming from President Romulo Betancourt in Venezuela.

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Contributors:
Bill Simpich • John Newman

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