CIA Memorandum: Media Inquiry to Cuban Exile Journalist re Watergate (7 May 1973)

‘\404-10062-10046 | 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 |

& MAY “373

MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Operations 7

SUBJECT . °: Media Inquiry to Cuban Exile Journalist in
- 'Miami re Cuban Involvement in Watergate
Case and Attitudes in Miami Area

4

1.) This memorandun is for your information only.

2. On 7 May 1973 we were advised by Station WH/Miami + that.
‘two employees of a Station WHY Mi ami proprietary had:told the
tation that one Rene VIERA Gonzalez, a Cuban exile journalist
who writes for Diario Las Americas and owns. the Westch ester
Mali Bookstore in Miami received a call in early May from one
FNU GOTTLIES who said he worked for the Times in Washington.
... (GOTTLIEB is believed to be Sanford GOTTLTSB, 11102 | Brandywine
| St., Kensington, Md. who was formerly an employee of; the oo
National Committee on Sane Nuclear Policy". ‘A pretext calli to
the Washington bureau of the New York Times verified: that one
~ "Sandy" Gottlieb was employed there.) GUTITLIEB asked VIERA
what people in Miami were saying about the Watergate’ case and
what participation the Cubans had in it. He specifically
asked about the activities of Reinaldo PICO (former 2506
Brigade member), Orlando PIZDRA (former Chief of Cuban Bureau
‘of Investigation in Batista Government), and Rolando MAS FERRER
(former Cuban Senator and self-~admitted former Communist).
He also asked if ITT had an office in Miami, whether Joaquin
SANJENIS Perdome {former Chief of a WH/Miami proprietary who
was amicably terminated in 1972) and Juan A. PAULA (former
WH/Miami proprietary employee and former Controller of
Revolutionary Democratic Front-FRD-and currently employed by
an OGC proprietary) were still in the Miami area. He was 2
interested in Edgardo BUITARI, a Cuban born in West Tampa,
‘Florida, a former Cuban Congressman and Minister of Conmerce
wae 3s reportedly associated with Mr. Charlies "Bebe" RE3BOZO,
cording to GOTTLIEB, BUTTARI was appointed as "political
chief in the Republican Party",

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3. GOTTLIES apparently has current. ‘information on the
activities of the persons he mentioned; for example, he
knew that Juan A. PAULA was involved in the jewelry business
(PAULA and Antonio Felix GENOVA Corzo, a WH/Miami proprietary ©
employee recently purchasad a jJowelry business) and he knew
that Reinaldo PICO had resided in Venezuela and had recently =.
returned to the United States. The phone conversation lasted...
about 45 minutes and GOTTLIEB told VIERA that if he .cane to
Miami they. would have lunch together. i

4. VIERA does not know GOTTLIEB but talked to him because aa
-GOTTLIES said he was recommended by Ernesto BETANCOURD who 1s:
has resided in the Washington area for more than ten years.
BETANCOURD was a former Agency asset and is currently Chieg- of
Economic Planning and Budget, UAS? The conversation was 0002/0)
initially in English but continued in Spanish. VIERA said he ear

' provided no information te GOTTLIEB on the basis that he is a |.)
‘Cuban exile and did not want to get involved in internal U.S. 2°.)
‘affairs. We do not know why GOTTLIEB was interested in Joaquin~~ 9.)
SANJENIS or Juan A. PAULA. (Attached are Summary biographies. oe
oF ‘persons: of interest to GOTTLIEB. 3+). . :, ce

_§, On 7 May 1973 @arvin L. EVANS, Chief, MEMUTE QD was 9.
briefed on the substances of the report fron " WH/M fiami pertaining —
to Juan A.-PAULA, who works for ths MHNUTUAL proprietary y oo
| peeean As PAUL ho vor utilizes (NORTHWEST NANAGEMENT SERVICE
GNC) as office space cover. Among other duties performed by
the p proprietary ara the monthly checks sent to the denendents ©
or imprisoned assets which are signed in true name by PAULA.
was unaware that PAULA had purchased a new jeweiry oe
business in association with Antonio GENOVA; however, he feels
that MHMUTLAD is protected and compartmented from the WH/Miami . .
proprietary and he has the utmost confidence in the proprietary
baing able to field any questions, @GHMUTUAD communication with —
. the proprietary is by unlisted hone and a post office box, ..
_ said i hat (McKERCHE® and. could. possibly be linked.
to. NORTIIA MANAC ANAGEMEND but the trail would end there. He :
Eeels that either proprietary could only be. linked to the Agency
by innvendo. {He did say that Howard HUNT was aware of
; when he served as C/CA/EUR.) feels secure as
MENT and (HcKERCHER and AVAN? are

concerned. |

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[EVANS mentioned that the bona fide law firm occupying
offices are the attorneys _

the “Sener portion of the &f
(These lawyers wore cleared and witting.).

for -
JANS that OEAN will be the “biggest

One of the lawyers told
-canary singer of the year”. The common re ceptionist area is
manned by (EMUTUAD employees who also monitor all telephone

calls, incoming and outgoing for the other law firn.
mentioned that there have been numerous calls from the media

and outgoing overseas calis to such places as ; Japan and Europe. .

7. (CGVANS will be traveling ‘to Nassau and returning | ‘via
Miami on 10 May 1973. He int ends to talk with his proprietary
peopie at that time on other ‘GHEUTUAD business and will also ©
contact COS, WH/Miami. (The COS has been aler ted tO expect —
a call from EVANS on 10 May 1973. ) . a a

Jenes EB. Flanzery hij
James FE. Flannery °
Acting Chief

Western tiemisphere Division

ee: Director o£ Security - ee . a

: chnents: A-B Biographic Summaries :

ALTA