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Cryptonym: AMOURETTE-B

Definition:

The Catholic Youth Workers, known as the Joventud Obrera Catolica - or a project within the JOC. This group ran a radio program operation that was designed to create an active body of anti-Communists within the Cuban labor movement.

Status:

Documented

Discussion:

This AMOURETTE program was associated with CIA officer Douglas Freapane, who used JMCLIPPER as cover. MRP relied on AMOURETTE-B and the AMCALL organizations for personnel and financial support. The AMOURETTE program was filled with Catholics. Fernando Ayoza, writer for the Havana Daily Informacion, worked with Gustavo Pena Monte in operating AMOURETTE-B's radio station. Pena was a reporter specializing in Catholic affairs.

Sources:

104-10267-10158: DISPATCH: OPERATIONAL. COVER REVIEW

9/7/59 Freapane memo: Says he and Choaden/Phillips have been suspected as CIA officers by Milton Guss, editor of the Times of Havana - "no problems have been encountered within the scope of AMOURETTE-B and AMCALL since JMCLIPPER cover was granted FREAPANE."

104-10271-10039: DISPATCH: OPERATIONAL/ ORGANIZATION

3/4/60 memo from Chief of Station, Havana to WH: Memo included a flowchart for AMPALM, with a portion for the MDC portraying "Miscellaneous Personalities" as "Fernand (Fernando) Ayoza, Gustavo Pena-Monte (Publicity & in charge AMOURETTE-B radio)".

104-10271-10033: CABLE: DUE CONTINUED PRESENCE MIAMI RAFAEL RIVAS VASQUEZ, ADDITIONAL MILITARY

3/23/60 memo from Havana to Director re candidates for radio ops: One of the three nominated was "Fernando Ayoza, writer for Hava Daily Informacion"

104-10217-10073: CABLE RE: AMCALL-1 PLANS ATTEND KMLASXING CONGRESS

4/21/60 memo from Havana to Director: AMCALL-1 is said to be meeting with AMOURETTE-B leaders in New York City. AMOURETTE-B is described in marginalia as the "JOC". "JOC" is shorthand for the Joventud Obrera Catolica, aka Catholic Youth Workers.

104-10271-10008: CABLE: VIEW OPS RESPONSIBILITIES NOW INCLUDE

4/29/60: Memo from Havana to Director: "Biniaris ops duties now include AMOURETTE-B and AMCALL in addition to AMPALM organization..."

104-10193-10319: AMCALL OPERATIONS

12/14/60, Acting Chief of Station, Habana to Chief, Western Hemisphere: "The MRP is relying on the AMCALL and AMOURETTE-B organizations for personnel and financial support...the objective of both the AMCALL and AMOURETTE-B project is to create an active body of anti-Communists in the labor movement and develop labor leadership for the post-Castro era...the bulk of financial support now being provided the AMOURETTE-B and AMCALL organizations eventually ends up supporting the MRP."

124-10370-10033: ADMIN FOLDER-H6: HSCA ADMINISTRATIVE FOLDER, ASSASSINATION MATTERS VOLUME VII

Re: 1963: Gustavo Montes was questioned in 1976 about a story he had circulated in 1964 claiming that "a woman neighbor's nephew" received a letter in 1963 saying that Fidel, Raul, Che, "El Mexicano", Jack Ruby and others were at a meeting discussing how to kill President Kennedy. Montes admitted he never talked to the woman neighbor or the nephew, nor did he ever see the alleged letter.

http://library.stu.edu/ulma/va/3005/1968/08-23-1968.pdf

August 1968 Voice (Miami Catholic newspaper): Article by Gustavo Pena Monte on Pope Paul's visit to Bogota.