(Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001900100037-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 19, 2004
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: November 20, 1962
• Content Type: MEMO

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20 November 1962
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Attitude of Latin American Governments
on Survival of Castro Cuba
There are a number of Latin American governments
which will still regard a Cuba dominated by Fidel Castro as
a threat to their security even after the removal of Soviet
offensive weapons.
The six Central American countries, along with Argentina,
Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay all favor
strong measures to eliminate the Castro regime and the
Communist threat in Cuba, even though the missiles have been
removed. Colombia has taken a similar position in the past,
but concern there with internal security and economic matters
has somewhat reduced support for hemispheric actions against
Cuba.
Brazil is sticking strongly to its non-interventionist
policy, even-'tit: the point of trying to reinstate Castro's
Cuba in the OAS. The other four countries with relations
with Cuba--Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Mexico--have been
against intervention in Cuba's internal affairs.
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The position of Ecuador, Peru, and Haiti is unknown,
although Haiti has taken an active part in the quarantine of
Cuba.
.Chile apparently intends to maintain relations with
Castro's Cuba, evidently seeing itself as an important
factor in any future negotiations regarding Cuba.
Argentina: Argentina responded publicly to the Cuban
crisis almost immediately with unequivocal support. Two
DIA and DOS review(s) completed.
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destroyers were sent to participate in the quarantine,
and a marine battalion and other ground'.troops..were.dffered.
On 5 November
the Argentine delegate to the UN voiced the strong concern
of his government to Ambassador Stevenson over any no-invasion
guarantee protecting Castro, and said it would be most
difficult to accept such a guarantee.
Venezuela: Venezuela has been one of Castro's main
targets.oreign Minister Falcon has told Ambassador
Stevenson that "Venezuela would never give its guarantee not
to invade Cuba." On 17 November President Betancourt in
talking to the US Ambassador urged the US to remain firm.
Betancourt said the Venezuelan man-in?the-street, while
not necessarily demanding invasion, increasingly shares the
'.'view of his American cousin" that now is the time something
should be done about Castro. On 16 November the Venezuelan
UN representative told a member of the US delegation that
Castro has "gone much too far" ever to be acceptable again
as a respectable member of the western hemisphere. He
added that a "guaranteed" Communist Cuba would be a constant
menace to other countries, especially Venezuela and Argentina.
High ranking Venezuelan military officers have told US mili-
tary personnel in Caracas that they feel the US should have
and still should spearhead an invasion of?Cuba to eradicate
Castro and the Communist "menace."
Guatemala: Guatemala has long been in the lead in advo-
cating action to depose Castro and the Communists in Cuba.
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the Panamanian Foreign Ministry shares completely
the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry's concern over guarantees
to Castro.
Dominican Republic: In a conversation with Ambassador
Martin on November a foreign minister of the Dominican
Republic said that his country's bases would be available
for all countries participating in any counter-Castro moves
other than the present quarantine. Foreign Minister Bonilla
had earlier told the Ambassador that the council of state
had decided that the Dominican Republic would support any
initiative for an all-out effort to eliminate once and for
all the threat to the peace of the hemisphere represented
by Castro and his regime. He also said that his government
is prepared to take the initiative itself if Venezuela or
someone else does not.
Nicaragua: President Somoza of Nicaragua has publicly
stated that his country will give asylum to the Cuban exiles
of the Revolutionary Council if they should be expelled from
the US. On 8 November the US Ambassador in Managua summed
up Somoza's position over the past three years as favoring
invasion of Cuba to put an end to Castro Communists.
Costa Rica: On 6 November Costa Rican Foreign Minister
Oduber told a S Embassy officer that regardless of the
elimination of the missile bases, Latin American nations,
especially Venezuela and Central America, are victims of
Communist aggression. He said the base of subversion and
aggression must be wiped out if Latin American countries
are to resist Communism successfully.
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Paraguay: Paraguay has given unconditional support
to the in any efforts to eliminate the Castro-Communist
base in this hemisphere. on 8 November Foreign Minister
Sapena told the US Ambassador that he doubted the wisdom
of the Brazilian denuclearization proposal, saying that
if by making Paraguay into a nuclear missile base at some
future time, Communism could be better dealt a necessary
blow, his government would want to be free to accept the
missiles.
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