4 April 1962 – KGB Chairman Semichastnyy’s report to the TsK KPSS on the Valdez visit to Moscow
4 April 1962 TsK KPSS
The Cuban Minister of Internal Affairs Ramiro VALDEZ MENENDEZ, upon his return to Havana after his March 1962 visit to the Soviet Union, in a conversation with a member of the KGB, touched upon a number of issues that were discussed during his consultation with the Soviet intelligence leadership, the contents of which have already been reported to the TsK KPSS.
Ramiro VALDEZ said that Fidel CASTRO, to whom he reported on the results of his discussions in Moscow, positively assessed the results of the Cuban delegation’s trip, in spite of the fact that Moscow did not adopt the line that he (VALDEZ) recommended to the senior Soviet intelligence officials on the issues of the Soviet and Cuban policy in Latin American countries.
VALDEZ considers that the proposal to establish a Soviet intelligence center in Cuba was the most important topic of the discussions in Moscow. The intelligence center, according to VALDEZ, would be closer to the Latin American peoples who, living in great poverty and being very undemanding and perseverant, could be outstanding partisans. And in order to stir these peoples to action, VALDEZ believes it is necessary to create a Soviet center of influence in Latin America.
VALDEZ views the negative attitude of the Soviet Union’s intelligence leadership to this recommendation as a different approach to this issue as viewed from the USSR and China.
“Whereas the Chinese,” VALDEZ asserted, “are attempting to pursue a policy that is reflected in the fact that in each…
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…Soviet intelligence that the proposals made to them are outside the purview of the intelligence organs, he assesses it as a major rejection, and he believes that on this issue, the Soviet intelligence leadership was not being completely honest.
“I cannot envision,” VALDEZ said, “that Soviet intelligence only engages in collecting information. If that’s the case, then who is assisting the international revolutionary movement?”
In VALDEZ’s opinion, work to assist the revolutionary movement should only be carried out by intelligence, and not diplomats. In order to affirm this belief, VALDEZ hazarded the assumption that Soviet intelligence also supposedly engages in such actions as disrupting American rocket launches into space.
As regards the promised assistance in terms of delivering hardware and sending Soviet specialists to Cuba, VALDEZ stated that he was certain that this assistance will be provided.
CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE FOR STATE SECURITY
V. SEMICHASTNYY
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Translating History 