MM 105-1742

On August 7, 1963, MARIO DEL CANEL, Executive Secretary of Rescate Democratico Revolucionario, advised that when SOFOZA was in the United States during July of 1963, RAFAEL ANTONIO DE VARON, Head of the Rescate Democratico Revolucionario (RDR), conferred with SOFOZA in Miami and New York. At the invitation of SOFOZA, VARON left for Nicaragua on August 1, 1963, to again confer with SOFOZA, and is expected to return to Miami in about a week.

On September 10, 1963, CANEL advised that nothing definite had been established as a result of VARON's visit to Nicaragua, and that the future of the proposed SOFOZA Plan is uncertain.

On August 13, 1963, LAUREANO BATISTA FALLA, military leader of the RDR, advised that he had recently returned from Nicaragua, where he had conferred with SOFOZA, who made no commitments or indicated any definite plan existed. SOFOZA showed great interest in the Cuban problem, but offered no positive help or aid in the way of arms or training camps.

BATISTA FALLA said that CARLOS PRIO SOCARRAS, former President of Cuba, was in Nicaragua at the same time, conferred with SOFOZA, but did not receive any offers of positive aid. BATISTA explained that PRIO had just previously returned from the Dominican Republic (DR), and although PRIO and JUAN BOSCH, President of the DR, had been friends for many years, PRIO was unable to obtain any military bases in the DR.

On August 22, 1963, RUDEN DE LEON, former Cuban Minister of Defense and Co-Ordinator of the anti-CASTRO

8.

RECEIVED FROM
MAY 7 1976
DOJ