UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-16968 Doc No.

C05907748 Date: 12/17/2015

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ORIGIN ARA-14
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 INR-07 CIAE-00 /022 R

RELEASE IN FULL

DRAFTED BY ARA/ANDN:WCSERGEANT
APPROVED BY ARA - MR. STEDMAN
ARA/AND - MR. BARNEBEY
ARA - MR. DEVINE
071804 260308Z/73
R 251942Z JUL 77
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY CARACAS
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 173497
FOR AMBASSADOR FROM STEDMAN
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PFOR, PINS, VE, CH, US
SUBJECT: DINA/CUBAN EXILE INVOLVEMENT IN LETELIER CASE
1. EUGENE M.PROPPER, THE ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY WHO IS
INVESTIGATING THE LETELIER CASE FOR THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT,
HAS REQUESTED THAT YOU OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM PRESIDENT
PEREZ ABOUT THE CASE. THE DEPARTMENT CONCURS IN HIS
REQUEST.
2. DURING HIS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CARTER, PRESIDENT
PEREZ STATED THAT HE HAD "GOOD REPORTS BUT NO PROOF" THAT
LETELIER WAS KILLED BY CUBANS SENT AND SUPPORTED BY THE
CHILEAN SECRET POLICE (DINA). IN LIGHT OF THESE FACTS,
IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF THE FOLLOWING REQUESTS COULD BE
MADE OF PRESIDENT PEREZ:
(A) WE WOULD LIKE THE REPORTS THAT PRESIDENT PEREZ HAS
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CONCERNING THE CUBANS SENT TO KILL LETELIER AND THEIR

RELATIONSHIP WITH DINA. IT IS IRRELEVANT TO US WHETHER
THIS INFORMATION COULD BE USED IN COURT; OUR PRIMARY
CONCERN AT THIS TIME IS SIMPLY TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION;
(B) OFFICIALS OF THE VENEZUELAN SECRET POLICE (DISIP)
SENT ROLANDO OTERO HERNANDEZ INTO CHILE IN EARLY 1976,
FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING MR. OTERO ATTEMPT TO INFILTRATE
DINA TO FIND OUT WHAT IT DOES AND HOW IT OPERATES. OTERO
REVIEW AUTHORITY: Leonard Kusnitz, Senior Reviewer

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-16968 Doc No. C05907748 Date: 12/17/2015

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-16968 Doc No. C05907748 Date: 12/17/2015

SUCCEEDED IN INFILTRATING DINA AND WAS ORDERED BY DINA

OFFICIALS TO TRAVEL TO COSTA RICA IN FEBRUARY, 1976, WHERE
HE WAS TO KILL PASCAL ALLENDE AND A FEMALE COMPANION OF
HIS. OTERO DID NOT CARRY OUT THE MISSION, BUT HE DID
REPORT THE FACTS OF IT TO THE DISIP. WE UNDERSTAND
THAT OTERO WAS GIVEN PHOTOGRAPHS AND PERSONAL INFORMATION
ON ALLENDE TO ASSIST HIM IN HIS MISSION. THESE FACTS
ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE DINA AND ANTI-CASTRO EXILES AND ANY INFORMATION IN
THE POSSESSION OF THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT ON THIS
INCIDENT, OR SIMILAR INCIDENTS WHICH SHOW THE OPERATION
OF THE DINA IN THIS AREA, WOULD BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE
TO THE INVESTIGATION;
(C) WHEN ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY EUGENE M.
PROPPER WAS IN CARACAS, HE SPOKE TO DISIP OFFICIAL
RIVAS VASQUEZ WHO PROVIDED PROPPER WITH CERTAIN HELPFUL
INFORMATION. PROPPER HAS INDICATED THAT HE IS MOST
APPRECIATIVE OF THE ASSISTANCE HE RECEIVED. VASQUEZ
TOLD PROPPER THAT HE HAD A SOURCE AT THE CORU MEETING
WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN JUNE,
1976. THAT MEETING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE
INVESTIGATION BECAUSE LETELIER'S MURDER WAS DISCUSSED
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THERE. WE WOULD LIKE WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU POSSESS

ON THAT MEETING.
3. WE SHOULD STRESS THAT ANSWERING THESE TWO REQUESTS
MAY GREATLY ASSIST IN BRINGING ABOUT A RESOLUTION OF
THE LETELIER CASE AND MAY HELP TO DECREASE THE
ESCALATING AMOUNT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. WE SHOULD
FURTHER STRESS THAT COMPLYING WITH THESE REQUESTS CAN
IN NO WAY HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE CUBANA AIRLINE CRASH
CASE NOW PENDING IN THE VENEZUELAN COURT SYSTEM. VANCE

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UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2013-16968 Doc No. C05907748 Date: 12/17/2015