CIA Cable TEGUCIGALPA 43599: Cuba Tidbits from Late November (SWRACK)
This two-page SECRET cable, originating from CIA station Tegucigalpa (CITE TEGUCIGALPA 43599) and addressed to the Director, is dated 2 December 1993 and marked for limited distribution. Under the subject 'CUBA TIDBITS FROM LATE NOVEMBER SWRACK,' it summarizes intelligence drawn from SWRACK transcripts of 26–27 November 1993. It describes conversations between Cuban America Department official Ramiro (Abreu) Quintana and Honduran National Party comptroller Teofilo (Martel), in which Abreu reportedly said Fidel Castro was unhappy about prospective Cuban elections said to be held in Havana in December 1993, with a possibility that Castro could lose. The cable notes a mid-May 1993 unofficial visit to Cuba by Honduran National Party figures Rodolfo Irias Navas, Miguel Facusse, and Martel, who were hosted by Castro. It further reports that on 27 November a Cuban official, Ruben (Suarez), spoke with a Cuban official posted in Managua, Maria (Lopez), about the Kennedy assassination; Lopez reportedly claimed that Brigadier General Fabian (Escalante) Font of the Ministry of Interior was handling the matter and had information that could positively identify the Kennedy assassins. The document was released by the National Archives on 18 March 2025 as part of the JFK Assassination Records Act disclosures.
Description
A SECRET CIA cable from the Tegucigalpa station to the Director, dated 2 December 1993, relaying SIGINT/intelligence 'tidbits' derived from SWRACK transcripts of 26–27 November 1993. The cable reports intercepted conversations involving Cuban America Department official Ramiro Abreu Quintana and Honduran National Party figures, and a separate exchange between Cuban officials referencing the Kennedy assassination. Released by the National Archives in the 2025 JFK Assassination Records disclosure.
Claims
Cuban official Abreu stated that Fidel Castro was unhappy with prospective Cuban elections to be held in Havana in December 1993 and could lose.
50%Elections already held in 1993 were to be repeated in Cuba.
40%Rodolfo Irias Navas, Miguel Facusse, and Teofilo Martel visited Cuba unofficially in mid-May 1993 and were hosted by Fidel Castro.
55%Cuban official Maria Lopez claimed that Brig. Gen. Fabian Escalante Font of the Ministry of Interior was handling the Kennedy assassination matter and had information that could positively identify the assassins.
45%The intelligence was derived from SWRACK transcripts of 26–27 November 1993.
70%
Events
Nov 25, 1993
SWRACK intercepted conversations (Abreu–Martel)
Transcripts of 26–27 Nov 1993 captured conversations between Cuban official Ramiro Abreu Quintana and Honduran National Party comptroller Teofilo Martel regarding Cuban elections and Castro.
Nov 26, 1993
Cuban officials discuss Kennedy assassination
Cuban official Ruben Suarez spoke with Maria Lopez in Managua about the Kennedy assassination; Lopez claimed Brig. Gen. Fabian Escalante was handling the matter and had information that could identify the assassins.
Apr 30, 1993
Honduran figures' unofficial visit to Cuba
Rodolfo Irias Navas, Miguel Facusse, and Teofilo Martel traveled to Cuba on an unofficial visit and were hosted by Fidel Castro.
Dec 1, 1993
Tegucigalpa cable transmitted to Director
CIA station Tegucigalpa sent SECRET cable 43599 to the Director relaying the Cuba tidbits.
Mar 17, 2025
NARA 2025 release
Document released by the National Archives under the JFK Assassination Records Act.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Organizations
People
Events
Programs
Extracted text (OCR)
‘\704-10074-10065 | 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
-
SECRET .
MHFNO: 93~4732005 ' SENSIND: PAGE: 1
/ / SECRET FRP: fof ¢ #6 # # 8
STAFF
ACTION: LA/CCGRR (056) INFO: C/ORMS, LA/CCG, LA/MCGRR, LA/MCGSGH,
LADORECORD, LIMITO, MDSX, ODPD, FILE, C/LA, DC/LA (3/W)
93 4732005 ASR PAGE 001 IN 4732005
TOR: 0301482 DEC 93 TEGU 43599
S ECR ET 022047Z DEC 93 STAFF
CITE TEGUCIGALPA 43599
TO: DIRECTOR.
FOR: LIMIT LA/CCGRR INFO LA/CCG, LA/MCGRR, LA/MCGSGH
SLUGS: WNINTEL INTEL SWANLACE REAM SWCONTROL SWRACK
SUBJECT: CUBA TIDBITS FROM LATE NOVEMBER SWRACK
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 43580 93 4718127
TEXT:
1. ACTION REQUESTED: NONE. FYI.
2. SWRACK TRANSCRIPTS OF 26-27 NOV 93 CONTAINED
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN AMERICA DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL RAMIRO
({(ABREU) ) QUINTANA AND HONDURAN NATIONAL PARTY COMPTROLLER
TEOFILO ((MARTEL)). DURING THIS CONVERSATION, ABREU STATED THAT
CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL ((CASTRO)) RUZ WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE
PROSPECT OF CUBAN ELECTIONS THAT ARE TO BE HELD IN HAVANA IN DEC
1993. THE HONDURAN OFFICIAL SAID THAT ALTHOUGH ELECTIONS WERE
ALREADY HELD IN 1993, THEY ARE GOING TO BE REPEATED AND THERE IS
A POSSIBILITY THAT CASTRO WILL LOSE.
3. IN MID-MAY 1993, NATIONAL PARTY CONGRESS PRESIDENT >
RODOLFO ((IRIAS)) NAVAS, MIGUEL ((FACUSSE)), AND MARTEL TRAVELED
TO CUBA ON AN UNOFFICIAL VISIT. AT THAT TIME THE THREE MEN WERE
WINED AND DINED BY FIDEL CASTRO. IT IS APPARENT FROM ABREU‘S
CONVERSATION WITH MARTEL THAT HE IS A TRUSTED FRIEND OF THE
CUBANS .
4. ON 27 NOV CUBAN OFFICIAL RUBEN ((SUAREZ)) SPOKE WITH
ANOTHER CUBAN OFFICIAL POSTED IN MANAGUA, MARIA ((LOPEZ)), ABOUT
*THE<KENNEDY ASSASSINATION.> LOPEZ CLAIMED THAT BRIGADIER GENERAL
FABIAN ((ESCALANTE)) FONT OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR WAS
HANDLING THE MATTER AND THAT HE HAD INFORMATION THAT COULD
*POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE<KENNEDY>ASSASSINS.
5. FILE: SWRACK. DECL OADR DRV HUM LIA 1-87.
SECRET
13-00000,
*
SECRET
MHFNO: 93-4732005 SENSIND: PAGE: 2
END OF MESSAGE SECRET
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