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Cryptonym: ESLARD-1

Definition:

Juan Jose Arevalo Bermejo.

Status:

Documented

Discussion:

A dispatch from Mexico City on September 10, 1963, stated that "As to the 'routine' interest of Subjects covered by LIFEAT, it was the opinion of the Station that LIFEAT take, such as that on ESLARD-1, was of interest to Thomas A. Brent (probably CIA Director, John McCone) and of some interest to GPIDEAL (President John F. Kennedy) himself."

Sources:

104-10414-10402: LIEMPTY/PROGRESS REPORT FOR FIRST QUARTER 1963

CIA agent "Oliver Scantling" made a "pretext call" to the Cuban embassy in Mexico City, designed for pickup by the LIENVOY complex, tying the Cuban embassy personnel to a bomb threat against ESLARD-1. Scantling mailed an "ominous box of candy to the ESLARD-1 family as another plan in this harassment campaign."

104-10088-10328: PROJECT LIEMPTY (RENEWAL)

"In support of the Station's harassment campaign against Juan Jose Arevalo Bermejo, launched at the request of Headquarters, Scantling's efforts ranged from the mailing of "poisoned" candy to threatening phone calls..."

104-10188-10029: DISPATCH: PROJECT LIFEAT.

09/10/63: Dispatch from COS, Mexico City to Chief, WH Division: ..."4. As to the 'routine' interest of Subjects covered by LIFEAT, it was the opinion of the Station that LIFEAT (CIA telephone tapping program on a number of phone lines in Mexico City, aimed primarily at the home phone lines of Soviet and Cuban personnel) take, such as that on ESLARD-1, was of interest to Thomas A. Brent (probably CIA Director, John McCone) and of some interest to GPIDEAL (President John F. Kennedy) himself...Willard C. Curtis (Winston Scott)." - - - For the unredacted version of this dispatch see: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/2021/docid-32422606.pdf

Bill Simpich, State Secret, Chapter 4, http://maryferrell.org/pages/State_Secret_Chapter4.html

Oliver Scantling's real name: Juan Nepomuseno Frias Ramirez. The phone calls made by the FDR-style former president of Guatemala, Juan Jose Arevalo – referred to as the "Latin American exile" – accounted for 60% of the LIFEAT production. The harassment campaign against Arevalo was conducted as he campaigned for a second chance to serve as president while in exile in Mexico City.