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Cryptonym: AMSUM-1

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Definition:
Juan Francisco Castellvi Prado. Unidad Revolucionaria (UR) asset. Brother-in-law of AMSUM-2, Antonio Ordonez Hernandez.
Status:
Probable
Discussion:
AMSUM-1 was born in 1925 in Santiago de Cuba. Graduate of Cuban Naval Academy in 1952, and worked for Navy until 1960, before joining the UR naval resistance group. Forced to seek emergency refuge in YOACRE (Guantanamo Naval Base) and later exfiltrated to U.S. in May 1962. Debriefed by JMWAVE. POA granted in August of 1962.

A November, 1962, cable stated compartmented operations were being conducted unilaterally by JMWAVE Foreign Intelligence (FI) and Paramilitary (PM) sections, through UR assets, such as AMSUM-1 and 2, AMBLEAK-1 (Fernando Fernandez Cavada y Paris), and AMSTASH-1 (Manuel Viera Rodriguez).
Sources:

104-10226-10434: DEBRIEFING REPORT OF ANTONIO ODDONEZ HERNANDEZ

05/02/62: Case Officer: Anthony B. Weldrake, Date of Debriefing: 27-28 April, 1 May 1962, Date of Report: 2 May 1962: Pages 5-6: ..."(9) 'Frank.' T/N Juan Francisco CASTELLVI Prado. This individual is the Subject's brother-in-law and is 36 years of age. He comes from a prominent family in Santiago de Cuba. His father was a lawyer and his parents were very prominent in social circles in Santiago de Cuba. CASTELLVI is 6' tall, 170 lbs, slender build, dark brown hair, brown eyes, light complexion. This individual is married and has 3 daughters. His wife and children are presently residing in Miami, Fla. His wife's name is Mirta RODRIGUEZ Soto. The Subject has contact with her in Miami. CASTELLVI is a graduate of the Cuban Naval Academy, was a career naval officer and also attended various U.S. Navy training schools in the U.S. during the Batista regime. His professional career is that of naval engineer. In 1955 he transferred from his normal navy assignment to be the chief of the DPAC in Oriente Province. He remained as chief of this section until the Castro regime seized power. After the fall of Batista, CASTELLVI was not bothered by Castro forces since he evidently had not carried out any extremely repressive measures against Castro's revolutionary forces. In 1960 he took an examination for the position of harbor pilot in Santiago de Cuba, passed the examination and was appointed as a harbor pilot in Santiago de Cuba from 1960 to 1962. In this position he was making $100 a month. Juan Francisco CASTELLVI entered GITMO Naval Base on 6 April 1962 by violent means and has been 'employed' there by the U.S. Navy since that date. See Section IV, V, and VI re exfiltration and future contact with this subject..."

104-10166-10226: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA:

CIA document: Pages 28-29: ..."AMSUM-1 reported that the UR in Habana had notified YOACRE by courier in April 1962, that it wanted to establish W/T contact on a regular schedule. (27)....Courier channels to YOACRE were reported by AMSUM-2 in June 1962 when he stated they were used by UR for internal communications and contact with ODOATH. (55) AMSUM-1 stated that an efficient courier net operated from YOACRE into Oriente Province to the Baracoa area via female employees of YOACRE. He claimed a message might be sent and a reply received within 24 hours. This net was run by Alfonso GUEVARA and Maximino DELGADO, both located at YOACRE. (120)...." Page 27: "The naval group began organizing clandestinely as early as July 1960 at the instigation of Juan F. Castellvi Prado and Pedro S. Castro Ramirez...Its original goals were...to maintain unity in resisting Communist indoctrination among naval officers..." Page 30: The founders of the UR resistance group, Castellvi and Castro Ramirez established contact with the (US Navy) by entering (Guantanamo) clandestinely in November 1961. (The US Navy) promised these men 'all out support and assistance'. More specifically, they were to be provided with small arms, explosives, and demolition equipment for sabotage work...Mail contact between Castellvi in (the US) and Edualdo Perez Valenzuela (in Guantanamo) was initiated in June 1962. (Perez led a 60-man resistance group there)...(Perez) instructed Castellvi to write to him via 'Capt. Jack' (MODESETT) at an FPO address, with an inner envelope marked 'Para Valenzuela'." Page 56: Vicentico Campos was a UR contact; he was in contact with MRR leader Luisito Balbuena; he got Vera Leyva into Guantanamo.

104-10166-10226: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA

CIA document: ATTACHMENT C: Page 8: ..."73. COMELLAS, Ayala, Antonio, 201-309863: DPOB: 20 Apr 23, Habana. CIA asset since Nov 61; AMSUM-1 reported he had been told by Luis SANCHEZ of UR in exile on 25 Apr 62 that COMELLAS, Cuban employee of PAA was used to send a message to UR Nat'l Coord (Unintelligible) by ODIBEX as prospective courier; one report states subj appears to be strong Fidelista. (59;65;66;67)..." Page 16: ...."150. 'GUSTAVO:' Reported by AMSUM-1 in May 62 to be Nat'l Coord for Prop of UR in Cuba; source added that he knew little of 'GUSTAVO's' activities and had never seen any propaganda material; former UR Nat'l Coord FUENTEFRIA Faxas reported that on 14 May 62, when he entered the Uruguayan Embassy as an asylee, the Prop Coord was Carlos ALFONSO and that 'GUSTAVO' was 'Coordinator Professional;' 'GUSTAVO' said to have previously been a member of AAA. (59;61)." Page 21: .."200. 'MARTIN:' Reported by AMSUM-1 in May 62 to be one of the nat'l leaders of the UR in Cuba; T/N is not known to source; subj said to be an ex-non-commissioned off. of the Cuban Navy and functions as a recruiter for the UR Naval resistance group among non-com personnel; ca. 40 years old, 5'10" tall, 170 lbs, stocky, light complexion, light brown hair, green eyes, does not look like a Cuban national; known as member of underground to security forces; lives black, moves frequently to avoid arrest; 'always carries .45 cal pistol.' (59)..."

104-10166-10226: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA

CIA document: ATTACHMENT C: Page 23: ..."228. 'EL) NINO', DOB C 1918: Reported by AMSUM-1 in May 62 as active in the Nat'l Exec of the UR in Cuba; position not known; T/W unknown; 5'7" tall, 150 lbs; ca. 45 years old; dark brown hair, brown eyes; AMSUM-2 (Antonio Ordonez Hernandez) was a cutout between subj and 'PEPE' and 'DANIEL'. (59)..." - - - Pages 26-27: ..."261. PEREZ Valenzuela, Edualdo: UR contact at YOACRE known to AMSUM-1; age 35, mulatto, grad Mil Acad Managua; ex-Lt. Rebel Army; grad 8-month course radio telegrapher; former Communications Off for (Unintelligible); willing return Cuba after exfil and training; recommendation for PM ops by GARCIA Oller. (120; 171)..." - - - Page 32: ..."322. TORRES, (fnu): AMSUM-1 reported subj was Cuban employee of YOACRE in Apr 62; sympathized and collaborated with UR; A-1 attempted use subj to deliver mag to AMSUM-2 at YOACRE; subj never reported back to AMSUM-1; subj said to be cutout between UR Action and Sab Chief, VIERA Rodriguez, and ODOATH ops at YOACRE; subj is friend of VIERA Rodriguez. (59)..."

104-10166-10226: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA

CIA document: ATTACHMENT D: Page 7: ..."66. DELGADO, Gaston, Orlando: Former member UR naval resistance group in Cuba; known to AMSUM-1/2. (55)..." Page 21: ..."192. PARDILLO Pardillo, Armando, 201-744861: Former member UR naval resistance group in Cuba; known to AMSUM-1/2. (55)..."

104-10166-10226: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA

CIA document: ATTACHMENT B: Page 4: ..."D. AMSUM-1: Agent took emergency refuge at YOACRE following an abortive attempt to enter with cover documentation supplied by ODOATH; exfiltrated black to U.S. in May 1962; debriefed by JMWAVE. Biographic: DPOB 25 August 1925, Santiago de Cuba; graduate of Cuban Naval Academy, 1952, and served in Navy to 1960 when he became a harbor pilot in Santiago; belonged to UR naval resistance group. Agent was not considered for KUTUBE collection in Cuba owing to exposure to DSE during entry YOACRE; currently utilized as First Mate on a JMWAVE operational craft as an asset of the Maritime Branch; holds official position in UR exile organization as one of two Naval Coordinators, but does not participate actively in UR exile activity. Granted POA 22 August 1962; LCFLUTTER 13 June 1962 indicated no deception, but the results could not be meaningfully resolved to support or contradict the answers given by AMSUM-1; reruns were consistent with the first results; further background investigation resulted in issuance of clearance for operational use..."

104-10166-10226: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA

CIA document: ATTACHMENT A: Page 22: ..."The Executive Board of the re-organized UR in September 1962 was reported as follows: (194)...Naval Section: Antonio ORDONEZ Hernandez. Naval Section: Francisco CASTELLVI Padro..."

104-10226-10083: CABLE RE: SEVERAL COMPARTMENTED OPS BEING CONDUCTED UNILATERALLY

11/23/62: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline GYROSE KUWOLF: "1. Several compartmented ops being conducted unilaterally by WAVE FI and PM through UR assets AMSUM-1 and 2 (Antonio Ordonez Hernandez), AMBLEAK-1 (Fernando Fernandez Cavada y Paris), AMSTASH-1 (Manuel Viera Rodriguez), and loosely connected UR/AMDENIM-1 (Alberto Fernandez Hechevarria). For umbrella type covering these and other potential UR ops without breaking compartmentation, UR exile org revitalized Sep 62 by WAVE PW as major prop mechanism. Using credentials of Salvador Garcia Oller from UR underground, exile exec committee reorganized under Jose F. Rodriguez Espada according WAVE suggestions to eliminate undesirables. Jose E. de La Torriente whose nominal post thereby abolished established own faction with several other dissidents and lobbied in exile community against new UR setup. This dissension has delayed UR entry into AMBUD (Cuban Revolutionary Council - CRC) which WAVE hopes will pave way further unity exiles. 2. FI ops through AMBLEAK-1 average $1,000 monthly, AMSUM-1 and AMSUM-2 cost about $500 per month. PM funding of underground UR plus ops expenses contacts with Salvador Garcia Oller $1,000 and maintenance AMSTASH-1 approx $150 monthly..."

104-10226-10110: DISPATCH: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA; DEVELOPMENT AS PROPAGANDA MECHANISM AND COVER FOR UNILATERAL OPERATIONS

01/16/63: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Task Force W: Page 3: ..."8. Compartmented intelligence and paramilitary operations through assets in and on the periphery of the UR are reported separately under AMBLEAK-1 (Fernando Fernandez Cavada y Paris), AMSUM-1 and 2 (Antonio Ordonez Hernandez), AMSTASH-1 (Manuel Viera Rodriguez), AMTAUP-1 (probably Dr. Ernesto Alanis Angulo), AMLAME-1 (Arturo Sueiras), Luis PINO Couto and AMDENIM-1 (Alberto Fernandez Hechevarria). This dispatch will confine itself to the overt and semi-overt activities of the executive committee of the UR in exile and CIA support thereof..."

Contributors:
Gavin McDonald

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