Cryptonym: PEPE

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Definition:
Exfiltration-infiltration Cuban operation in 1962, run by Dr. Augusto Valdes Miranda aka Polo Miranda.
Status:
Documented
Sources:

Estematoteca Valdes-Miranda (1974): https://www.estematoteca.com/pdf_files/valdesmirandahabana.pdf

1943-1955 background on Don Augusto Valdés-Miranda y Peña. D EFUNICATION : Appears in the Social Yearbook of Havana 1943 , but not in the Social Register of the Havana 1956 , although their children do not appear either (undoubtedly they were alive), so they may not have resided in Havana, or they simply do not want to appear more in the social guide. RESIDENCE : / 1943 /, on Calle Real, Cojímar (Havana). To CTA : In / 1943 / was Director of Monte de Piedad de la Habana, with an office in Calle Oficios, n. 8, Havana. M ATRIMONIO : Before / 1940/.- Divorce : Before / 1943/.- Spouse : Doña Ana Granados , who married in second marriage with Don Esteban Latorre y Revilla..."

Tom Gjelten, Bacardi and the Long Fight For Cuba: https://books.google.com/books?id=EeTwCWqOmcUC&pg=PT348&lpg=PT348&dq=%22polo+miranda%22+cuba&source=bl&ots=wdaMIDPghu&sig=ACfU3U3L6vtoE7iTRnlcDusDXpAq7oZPPg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwin6NeNoaThAhV8HDQIHYzaAeYQ6AEwAHoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22polo%20miranda%22%20cuba&f=false

1960: Tom Gjelten, Bacardi and the Long Fight For Cuba: "...Polo Miranda (was) the former brewery manager in Manacas. Miranda had turned against Castro while still in Cuba, going from cooperating with the M-26-7 guerrillas to buying and smuggling arms for the anti-Castro rebels in the Escambray mountains. A report filed by Bernard Barker in June 1960 had judged him a 'superior' candidate for CIA assignments. Although he fled Cuba before taking any CIA work, Miranda went on to take part in various Agency-supported capers, and in Miami his Bacardi job was mainly to serve as Bosch's intermediary with the exile groups working against Castro."

104-10163-10457: ROUTING ROCORD SHEET: ATTACHED FOR HEADQUARTERS IS A RAW REPORT FROM AMCLATTER-1

6/14/60 AMCLATTER-1/Bernard Barker memo: "...(Augusto Valdes Miranda presently) administrates the Hatuey Brewery in Manacas, Cuba. He is one of Pepin Bosch's right-hand (men)...He administrated Autobuses Modernos upon Bill Pawley/QDDALE's retirement and turned down a $70,000 payment. He knows Rubio Padilla and considers Padilla is wrong (referring to his way of thinking). He is known as Polo Miranda..."

104-10074-10390: CABLE - REQUEST AUTHORITY MOUNT OPERATION PEPE

12/15/61, cable from JMWAVE to Director, slugline JMZIP PEPE COMMO: "Request authority mount Operation PEPE. MRR/DRE...(destination) eastern tip Cayo Jutias...infiltrate five men 1000 pounds cargo. Exfiltrate four men... Infiltrees are Rafael Aureli Quintero Ibarbia aka Roberto Quesada Gonzales aka Jose M. Hernandez Valdes (AMJAVA-4); Juan Manuel Guillot Castellano aka Renato M. Lopez Zamoka aka Rubin Hernandez Ortega (AMBRONC-5); Manuel Salvat Roque (AMHINT-2); Julio Hernandez Rojo (AMHINT-40); John Koch Gene (AMHINT-26). Exfiltrees are Luis Comellas, Carmelo Gonzalez, Manolo Alzucaray, and Emilio Martinez. BARR will provide 1000 pounds weapons ammo..." 201 numbers listed include 201-306319 (AMHINT-26); 201-281270 (AMJAVA-4); 201-281397 (AMFOX-1); 201-286051 (AMHINT-2); 201-310721 (AMHINT-40); 201-281268 (based on process of elimination, maybe AMBRONC-5)

104-10171-10038: DEBRIEFING OF DRE CHIEF OF ACTION & SABOTAGE

06/04/62: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Task Force W: Page 4: "DRE ORGANIZATION INSIDE CUBA, AS OF 5 JUNE 1962...Provincial chiefs...Pinar del Rio - (newly organized by recent operations; 'Pepe' (Juanin captain)?, 'Patricio'?, 'Gordo'?)."

1994.06.18.10:28:32:470005: Reel 67, Folder D - AMBUD POLICY.

7/16/62, Memorandum for the Record No. ___: "At my ________, Dr. Miro Cardona on Friday, 13 July he brought me the attached two plans for operations. One titled Operation 'Mongo' and the other titled Operation 'Pepe'. He said that these plans were prepared by Dr. Augusto Valdes Miranda, commonly known as Dr. 'Polo' Miranda. He said that Dr. Miranda is a lawyer in Cuba but works in a garage here in Miami. However, Dr. Miranda is following other Cuban exiles and Dr. Miro considers he might be able to conduct operations effectively."

104-10181-10320: CABLE: I ADVISE STATUS AMHINT-2 FYI: ROCHA OF DRE TOLD AMJAVA

11/29/63, Cable from Director to JMWAVE (Orig: H.D. Hecksher, Unit: SAS/SO/WH): Sluglines RYBAT TYPIC YOBITE AMWORLD: "1. Advise status AMHINT-2. FYI: Rocha of DRE told AMJAVA-4 that AMHINT-2 one of holdouts against approach to AMYUM. Since AMJAVA-4 and AMHINT-2 erstwhile members in Op PEPE, Rocha thought AMHINT-2 might be susceptible to AMJAVA-4's arguments..."

104-10234-10312: DISPATCH: OPERATION ZORRO

4/23/64: A cache in Cuba for AMLASH is set down by the AMLILACS. In this memo on Operation ZORRO, Stanley Zamka/David Morales is identified as "Dr. Miranda", also known as Diego Miranda. Coincidence?

104-10178-10056: CABLE RE: REPORTS 22 JULY 65 HE COMPLETED TWO 10-POUND LIMPET TYPE BOMBS

7/24/65 JMWAVE memo: "AMCLEVE-15 reports 22 July 65 he completed two ten pound limpet-type bombs...AMCLEVE-15 working directly with Jorge Mas Canosa and Ernesto Freyre Varona of RECE...Polo Miranda, friend of AMRUM-1 and former RECE paramilitary chief, not informed of op..."

Contributors:
Bill Simpich

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