CUBAN INFORMATION ARCHIVES
DOCUMENT 027
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TRANSCRIPT of PROCEEDINGS
between
CUBAN OFFICIALS and JFK HISTORIANS
Introduction - Menu
NASSAU BEACH HOTEL
7/9 DECEMBER 1995
INTRODUCTION First I would like to thank all the transcribers for making this record possible. Without them, we would have had no transcript.Interpretation....
There were many problems with transcribing these tapes, most involved the voice quality and the large number of translators debating the correct translation. Although Mirta Nunez translated for the Cubans, she also clarified the translations of the others as did Wayne Smith, and others. Mirta Nunez's voice was softer then both Escalante's and Rodriguez's, so her voice was sometimes drowned out when she was simultaneously translating. In the simultaneous translations Mirta also left out much of what the speaker was saying. In order to get a full translation of what the Spanish speakers were saying, the tapes must be re-transcribed directly from the Spanish.
This is not always a word-for-word transcript. In many instances some dialogue was left out due to changing of tapes, poor speaker volume, too many people talking at once, or just plain mumbling on the part of both the speakers and translators. No dialogue was left out of this transcript intentionally! In spite of these adversities, the gist of the speaker was usually captured, if not necessarily the exact words.
Any item in [ ] is an inserted note and does not appear in the original video. Some items in [] are second last names, editor's notes, correction/clarification of statements, or Spanish which is different from the English translation, etc.
From Rio to Nassau:
A small look into Cuba's JFK records
In August 1995 the Minister of Culture invited several individuals to Rio de Janeiro to partake "in a governmental program for culture and social discussions enlargement". The Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro co-promoted the seminar "to increase the value of justice questions and to improve the knowledge and practice of 'parallel powers', a characteristic widely present in our society today". It was billed as an International JFK Seminar.Papers were given by Wayne Smith, Cyril Wecht, Gaeton Fonzi, Gordon Winslow, John Newman, James Lesar, Fabian Escalante Font, Arturo Rodriguez, William Turner and Eric Hamburg. All presentations were structured around the agenda set by Claudia Furiati. Some of the topics covered were, The Warren Commission evidence, the CIA, Mafia, and Cuban Exile theories, Oswald's intelligence ties, the Miami-New Orleans-Dallas Triangle, Mexico City, and the plan to implicate Cuba and the USSR in the assassination of JFK.
The three day seminar produced the prospects of all participants meeting again, informally face-to-face, to discuss at a later time, many of the issues in Nassau, Bahamas. Invitations were to be open to anyone willing to attend. And so the process of historical exchange was initiated as was the exchange on the Cuban Missile Crisis.
It was decided in Rio that a "one-on-one" meeting be held in Nassau with the Cubans.
Without billing, fancy brochures, press conferences, book marts, and the frills of the agenda, a group of highly motivated individuals gathered to put their collective minds toward trying to resolve some of the issues surrounding the JFK assassination at Nassau. Three Cubans attended the meeting to report on what they had found in regards to Cuban documentation on several issues. Carlos Lechuga, former Cuban diplomat, attended, as did two retired Cuban State Security officials, General Fabian Escalante Font and Arturo Rodriguez.
Wayne Smith from the Center for International Studies acted as moderator. Others in attendance were: Gaeton Fonzi, Jeremy Gunn (Council and Chief Investigator for the Assassination Review Board), John Judge, Andy Kolis, Peter Kornbluh * (National Security Archives), Mary and Ray LaFontaine*, Jim Lesar (AARC), John Newman, Alan Rogers, Dick Russell, Tony Summers, Russ Swickard, Peter Dale Scott, Ed Sherry, Noel Twyman and Gordon Winslow.
*Attendance for one day onlyAGENDA. The agenda was adhered to fairly well with many agenda questions fixed in advance. The sessions included the following topics, with about two hours set for each. Most exchanges ran over the time allotted. The topics were:
1. JACK RUBY.
2. CASTRO-KENNEDY CONTACTS IN 1963.
3. DAVID ATLEE PHILLIPS AND OTHER CIA FIGURES.
4. EXILES. (Odio, gunrunning, other exiles, JM/WAVE)
5. OSWALD IN MEXICO CITY. (This included AM/LASH.)
CUBAN RECORDS. There were no records produced by the Cubans to verify anything presented. When pressed on the availability of records, General Escalante said that there is no procedure set up within the Cuban Government to declassify any record. He speculated as to how Claudia Furiati obtained Cuban documents for publication in her book, ZR. "She probably wrote to the Cuban Government", he said. He has been permitted to look at any record he seeks, but is not permitted to make photocopies
But in the Portuguese version of her book, ZR, there is a notorized affidavit by General Escalante Font that the State Security documents given to Mrs. Furiati are true and correct copies of the originals. [see her documents from JFK MENU ]
All scheduled meetings were video taped.
Dec 7-8 consists of 7 tapes.
Not every tape contains two full hours.
An additional tape contains the "Slide" presentation of December 9.
Disclaimer (Anything in parenthesis [ ] are translator comments)
Tapes are in chronological order:
Tape one ... OPENING SESSION DEC 7, 1995
Tape two ... December 7, 1995 (last of morning session)
Tape three ... December 7. End morning, begin afternoon. DRE, JURE, ODIO ...
Tape four ... December 7/8. CUESTA, DEL VALLE, SILVIA DURAN ...
Tape five ... December 8.
Tape six ... December 8. Mexico City, Rodriguez speaks...
Tape seven ... December 8. Mexico City. End of Conference.
Tape eight ... December 9. Slide show presented by the Cubans. Pedro Charles letters, etc.
End of Page
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