Washington, December 6,1956 [1]

SUBJECT

Visit of Cuban Ambassador

PARTICIPANTS

Ambassador Campa

Dr. Averhoff [2]

Mr. Rubottom

Mr. Leonhardy

Ambassador Campa explained that he was departing for Cuba this week to spend Christmas there, that he had no outstanding problems to discuss but wanted to pay his respects before leaving.

Mr. Rubottom expressed his appreciation for the Ambassador's call and asked him his opinion of events taking place in Cuba[3] The Ambassador responded by reciting a brief history of Fidel Castro, his part in the 1948 Bogotazo,[4] and described him as a dangerous individual and a fanatic. He felt that Castro's movement, which had been predicted for some time, had little support from the Cuban people, and seemed satisfied that it would be brought under control. The Ambassador said economic conditions had improved considerably in Cuba and gave prospects of further improvement with demand for sugar on the increase. In addition, he said Batista had the support of not only the army officials but the common soldiers. Also, he mentioned that while he personally did not have any political affiliation he firmly believed the Batista Government was good for the country and that it was more popular with the people today than in 1952.

Mr. Rubottom asked about Cuba's relations with Haiti, and the Ambassador replied that he thought the matter would be resolved shortly, probably through the sending of a special emissary to Haiti for that purpose.[5]' He said that the Haitians were not entirely without fault, however. Mr. Rubottom said that aside from the question of who was at fault, he felt that two countries with such a history of friendly relations should patch things up. The Ambassador agreed and added that Cuba's relations with the Dominican Republic, however, were not so easily solved and an improvement in relations with that country would take time.

Mr. Rubottom mentioned the problem of an increase in the rates for the Cuban Telephone Co. (an I.T.&T. subsidiary) and stated that Gen. Leavey[6] was in Cuba now trying to arrange an equitable settlement so the company could go ahead with its badly needed expansion program. Mr. Rubottom stated that I.T.&T. was a well-respected company and one that had the interests of Cuba, as well as its own, at heart, and added that he hoped the matter could be successfully concluded. The Ambassador agreed that the present situation in Cuba was impossible, that the problem was essentially one of rates and that many Government officials, including the Prime Minister, were in favor of the company's request for a change in the rate schedule. He said he talked to President Batista about the matter at Daytona Beach last March and the latter mentioned the strong public reaction against a rate increase. The Ambassador said Cubans were used to paying a fixed rate and did not like the idea of paying on the basis of calls made. Mr. Rubottom pointed out that Col. Leavy was prepared to work out an agreement which he thought would be satisfactory. The Ambassador said he would convey our interest in the matter to the President.

During the course of the conversation Mr. Rubottom asked Ambassador Campa if he thought that Cuban Communists were involved in the present insurrectional activities. The Ambassador, after giving a brief summary of the history of the Communist party in Cuba and Cuba's breaking off diplomatic relations with the U.S.S.R., stated that he thought elements of the Communist party in Cuba, which operates clandestinely, no doubt are aiding and abetting the 26th of July club in any way they can.

NOTES:

[1]Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/12-656. Confidential. Drafted by Leonhardy.

[2]Octavio Averhoff y Sarra, Minister Counselor of the Cuban Embassy.

[3] Reference is to Castro's effort to lead a revolutionary uprising in early December. Returning from Mexico in a boat with a band of supporters, he landed in Oriente Province on December 2. The landing was to have coincided with a local uprising, but Castro arrived 2 days later than scheduled, and the local revolt was suppressed by the government. Castro's group was met by Cuban forces and only 12 men, including Castro and his brother Raul, escaped to the mountains of the Sierra Maestra region.

[4]Reference is to an outbreak of violent rioting in Bogota following the assassination of the Liberal leader, Jorge Eliecer Gaitzn, on April 9, 1948. Castro was there to participate in the newly formed Congress of Latin American Students organized by Cuban and Argentine students, scheduled to coincide with the Ninth International Conference of American States (Bogota Conference). Castro and other Cuban students were hunted by Colombian authorities for allegedly participating in the disturbances but they eventually escaped and returned to Cuba. Documentation on this conference is in Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. Ix, pp. 1-72.

[5] Cuba's relations with Haiti, traditionally friendly, were seriously strained as a result of the shooting on October 26 by the Cuban National Police of 10 Cubans who had been granted asylum in the Haitian Embassy in Habana. The Chief of Police, who led the attacking forces, was also killed. Batista immediately expressed his personal regrets, but subsequent charges by the Cubans that Haitian diplomats had permitted the men to keep their arms, and agitation in the Haitian press, left relations badly strained. The Haitian Government later indicated a willingness to forget the affair if suitable apologies were forthcoming, and Cuba prepared to send a good will mission, but the disturbed political situation in Haiti during the first 3 months of 1957 prevented any settlement of the issue. Documentation on relations between Cuba and Haiti is in Department of State, Central File 637.38.

[6] Edmond H. Leavey, a retired army officer, was vice president of International Telephone and Telegraph Company.