WASHINGTON – The United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) made its first known attempt to assassinate a leader of the Cuban revolution in 1960, offering US$10,000 (now RM41,260) to a pilot flying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana to arrange an “accident”, according to declassified documents published yesterday.
Jose Raul Martinez, who was recruited by the agency, asked for – and received – an assurance that CIA would provide university education to his two sons if he died in the operation, said the papers published by the National Security Archive research institute based here.
After Martinez left for Prague, the CIA headquarters in the US told its Havana station to cancel the mission.
“Do not pursue,” said the cable.
“Would like to drop matter.”
At that point, the pilot was already out of contact. When he returned to Cuba, Martinez told his handler that “he had no opportunity to arrange an accident such as we had discussed”.
The plot came to light as Castro, the 89-year-old brother of late revolutionary leader Fidel, prepares to leave Cuban politics by stepping down as head of the all-powerful Communist Party of Cuba.
His departure ends a nearly six-decade family hold on power in the country that started in 1959.
The reins will now pass on to 60-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel, who has served as president since 2018.
“These documents remind us of a dark and sinister past in US operations against the Cuban revolution,” National Security Archive analyst Peter Kornbluh told AFP.
“As the Castro era officially comes to an end, US policymakers have the opportunity to leave this historical baggage behind and engage Cuba’s post-Castro future.”
Fidel defied 11 US presidents and survived numerous assassination plots – 638, according to Guinness World Records – as well as a failed 1961 attempt by 1,400 Cubans who were trained and financed by the CIA to land at the Bay of Pigs in a bid to overthrow the communist regime. – AFP, April 17, 2021
