LIBYAN-CUBAN COMPETITION FOR INFLUENCE IN THE THIRD WORLD A BACKGROUND PAPER FOR THE DCI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M00539R001702670008-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 24, 2009
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: August 13, 1985
• Content Type: REPORT

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Libyan-Cuban Competition for Influence in the Third World
A Background Paper for the DCI
In recent years Cuba and Libya have assisted groups or
governments in some 43 Third World countries. For the most part
Cuban and Libyan activities are mutually supportive, and Havana
on occasion has even encouraged Third World governments and
political groups to seek out Libyan assistance. 25X1
In Latin America, however, Cuba is 25X1
concerned that Libyan advocacy ot militant tactics will disrupt
its post-Grenada strategy of counseling moderation among regional
leftists. While Cuba and Libya continue to provide complementary
support to opposition groups in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El
Salvador, and Guatemala, as well as to the Sandinista regime,
friction has surfaced in the Caribbean.
Although Cuba in the past welcomed additional sources of
financial support, there are indications that Havana has recently
come to view Libyan activism in the Caribbean as meddling in its
own backyard. Havana probably fears that violent anti-US activi-
ty in the region could be seen in Washington as Cuban-inspired,
thus prompting a strong US response.
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In Africa, Libyan and Cuban activities mostly complement
each other. Both countries, for example, are strong backers of
the Ethiopian government and the South-West Africa People's
While there is little evidence that either side views the
other as a direct competitor in the region, we believe the
potential for competition exists in some countries:
o In Ethiopia, while Addis Ababa is confident of its
longstanding Cuban military and economic assistance, it
believes Libya may renew its support for Eritrean
separatists.
o In Sudan, Tripoli is attempting to establish a state-t
state military assistance relationship
Appendix A is a listing of the Third World countries where
Libya and Cuba have since 1982 promised or provided Official
Military Assistance, Official Economic Assistance (including
scholarships to students), or-engaged in Political Penetration
activities (the promise or provision of arms, money or other
forms of support to political groups, political parties, dissi-
dents, or insurgents in that country).
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APPENDIX A
Cuba-Libya: Stmmary of Third World Aid Activities, 1983-Present*
LATIN AMERICA
ANTIGUA
ARGENTINA
BAHAMAS
BARBADOS
BELIZE
BOLIVIA
BRAZIL
CHILE
COLUMBIA
COSTA RICA
DOMINICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
ECUADOR
EL SALVADOR
FRENCH QJIANA
GRENADA
GUADELOUPE
GUATEMAIA
GUYANA
HAITI
HONDURAS
JAMAICA
MARTINIQUE
MEXICO .
NETH. ANTILLES
NICARAGUA
PANAMA
Official Official Political Official Official Political
Military Economic Penetra- Military Economic Penetra-
Assistance Assistance tion Assistance Assistance tion
X x X X X
X
X
X
X
X
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CUBA LIBYA
PERU
PUERTO RICO
ST. LUCIA
ST. VINCENT
SURI NAME
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA
NORTH AFRICA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA
MOROCCO
TUNISIA
WESTERN SAHARA
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
ANGOLA
BENIN
BOTSWANA
BURKINA
BURUNDI
CAMEROON
CAPE VERDE
C.A.R.
CHAD
CONGO
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
ETHIOPIA
GHANA
GUINEA
GUINEA-BISSAU
Official Official Political. Official official Political
Military Economic Penetra- Military Economic Penetra-
Assistance Assistance tion Assistance Assistance tion
x . x
X x x
X x x
X x
X x x x x x
X x
X x
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Official Official Political. Official
Military Economic Penetra- Military
Assistance Assistance tion Assistance
KENYA
LESOTHO
MADAGASCAR X
MALAWI
MALI X
MAURITIUS
MOZAMBIQUE X X
NAMIBIA
NIGER
NIGERIA X
RWAN1Y X
SAO TOME PRINCIPE X X
SEYCHELLES X X
SIERRA LEONE X
SOMALIA
SCQPTH AFRICA
SUDAN
TANZANIA X X
UGANDA X
ZAIRE X
ZAMBIA X
ZIMBABWE X
EAST ASIA
MALAYSIA
PHILIPPINES
THAI LAND
Official Political
Econanic Penetra-
Assistance tion
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CUBA LIBYA
Official Official Political. Official Official Political
Military Economic Penetra- Military Economic Penetra-
Assistance Assistance tion Assistance Assistance tion
CYPRUS X
IRAQ X X
JORDAN X
LEBANON X
OMAN X X
NORTH YEMEN X X
SOUTH YEMEN X X X
SYRIA X X
TURKEY X
U.A.E. X
SOUTH ASIA
AR HANISTAN X X
BANGLADESH
NEPAL X
PAKISTAN X
*Excludes countries in which Cuban and/or Libyan involvement is minimal.
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26 July 1985
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Intelligence
FROM: Director of Central Intelligence
Libyan and Cuban Foreign Aid
In addition, it points up
that Cuba and Libya may well be competing for influence in the region.
2. I would like to have our best summary, by country, of the nature
and extent of both Libyan and Cuban aid to countries throughout Latin
America. This should denote all forms of assistance, whether granted or
promised, known or suspected, etc. This should be coordinated with the
DO.
3. At the same time, I would like to have comparable information for
countries elsewhere in the world where both Cuba and Libya are involved.
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