Eugenio Martinez

[Scott Kaiser]

President Nixon’s “Plumbers” unit, tasked to plug media leaks from administration officials and outsiders to the media, burglarizes the Los Angeles office of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding to find damaging information on Daniel Ellsberg, the former defense analyst and patient of Fielding who leaked the “Pentagon Papers” to the media.

[Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, 7/3/2007] Ellsberg is a former Marine captain in Vietnam and protege of Henry Kissinger who had a change of heart over the war; he then leaked a secret set of Pentagon documents to the New York Times detailing how the Kennedy and Johnson administrations had secretly escalated the war in Vietnam (see June 13, 1971).

Watergate Connection - One of the burglars is Eugenio Martinez, who later is arrested as one of the five Watergate burglars (see 2:30 a.m.June 17, 1972). Martinez and two others—Felipe de Diego and the mission leader, E. Howard Hunt, who will supervise the Watergate burglary—are all old “CIA hands” heavily involved in anti-Castro activities. Martinez is still active in the CIA, as is Hunt, whom he often refers to by his old CIA code name of “Eduardo.” Another Watergate burglar, CIA agent Bernard Barker, is also involved in the Ellsberg burglary.

Martinez: Burglary a Near-Disaster - Hunt tells Martinez and Diego that they are to burglarize the offices of a “traitor” who is spying for the Soviet Union, and that the mission was ordered by the White House, where Hunt is now an aide. Barker tells the Cubans, “We have to find some papers of a great traitor to the United States, who is a son of a b_tch .” The men will become a unit outside the normal law enforcement and intelligence channels, operating within but not part of the CIA, FBI, and “all the agencies,” Martinez will later recall. They buy photographic equipment at Sears, and Hunt and Diego use disguises—wigs, fake glasses, false identification, and voice-altering devices. “Barker recognized the name on Hunt’s false identification—Edward J. Hamilton—as the same cover name Eduardo had used during the Bay of Pigs,” Martinez will recall. The planning, Martinez will recall, is far looser and less meticulous than “anything I was used to in the [CIA].” A disguised Hunt and Diego, masquerading as delivery men, deliver the photographic equipment to the office; later that night, they and Martinez break in and rifle the office. Martinez will write that Hunt and de Diego looked “kind of queerish” in their disguises, with their “Peter Lorre-type glasses, and the funny Dita Beard wigs” (see February 22, 1972). Before the break-in, Barker, who does not enter, whispers to Martinez, “Hey, remember this name—Ellsberg.” Martinez does not recognize the name. [Harper's, 10/1974; Reeves, 2001, pp. 369]

Comedy of Errors - The burglars wait for hours until the cleaning lady leaves for the night, and find the door to the building locked. At that point, a fifth man, “George,” whom Martinez learns is G. Gordon Liddy, another of the Watergate burglars also involved in the Ellsberg planning, appears and tells them to break in through a window. [Harper's, 10/1974] Three burglars—Bernard Barker, Felipe de Diego, and Eugenio Martinez—perform the actual break-in, while Hunt and Liddy act as lookouts. [Reeves, 2001, pp. 369] The burglary is quickly turning into a comedy of errors, Martinez will recall. “This was nothing new. It’s what the Company did in the Bay of Pigs when they gave us old ships, old planes, old weapons. They explained that if you were caught in one of those operations with commercial weapons that you could buy anywhere, you could be said to be on your own. They teach you that they are going to disavow you. The Company teaches you to accept those things as the efficient way to work. And we were grateful. Otherwise we wouldn’t have had any help at all. In this operation it seemed obvious—they didn’t want it to be traced back to the White House. Eduardo told us that if we were caught, we should say we were addicts looking for drugs.” Martinez finds nothing concerning Ellsberg in the office except for Fielding’s telephone book, which Martinez photographs. Before leaving, Martinez spills some pills from Fielding’s briefcase—“vitamin C, I think”—over the floor to make it seem as if the burglars had broken in looking for drugs. As they leave the office, Martinez spots a police car trailing them, but they are not stopped. “I thought to myself that the police car was protecting us. That is the feeling you have when you are doing operations for the government. You think that every step has been taken to protect you.”

Failure; Training for Bigger Mission? - Martinez feels that the burglary is a failure, but Hunt insists that they celebrate anyway. Martinez tells Diego that the break-in must either be a training exercise for a more important mission to come, or it was a cover operation for something else. “I thought to myself that maybe these people already had the papers of Ellsberg. Maybe Dr. Fielding had given them out and for ethical reasons he needed to be covered. It seemed that these people already had what we were looking for because no one invites you to have champagne and is happy when you fail,” he will write. Martinez’s CIA supervisor is strangely uninterested in the incident. “I was certain then that the Company knew about his activities,” Martinez will write. “But once again my CO did not pursue the subject.” [Harper's, 10/1974] Hunt telephones Plumbers supervisor Egil Krogh at 4 a.m. to report that the burglary was a success but they found no files on Ellsberg. [Reeves, 2001, pp. 369]

Entity Tags: ’Plumbers’, Dita Beard, Central Intelligence Agency, E. Howard Hunt, Daniel Ellsberg, Richard M. Nixon, Egil Krogh, Henry A. Kissinger, Eugenio Martinez, Lewis Fielding, Felipe de Diego, Federal Bureau of Investigation, G. Gordon Liddy, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz.

Edited January 31, 2012 by Scott Kaiser

[Scott Kaiser]

Here is a very interesting article on Rolando. The text was in Spanish and the translation is not completely fluid, but you get the idea:

http://baracuteycubano.blogspot.com/2010/08/eugenio-rolando-martinez-habla-del-caso.html

ROLANDO EUGENIO MARTINEZ "Musculito"

Watergate • THAT CAUSED THE RESIGNATION OF RICHARD NIXON

Note from blogger

In http://archivo.laprensa.com.ni Iliana de la Guardia says that in 1977 Antonio "Tony" Guard is responsible to infiltrate into Cuba and then smuggle former CIA agent, Rolando Eugenio Martinez, known as "Musculito" I read somewhere that Eugenio Rolando Martinez on that visit he met with Fidel Castro, if I remember it utiizó to the Cayman Islands to reach Cuba by boat.

******************

In http://eichikawa.com of August 9, 2010 This article refers to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo

http://www.elmundo.es

USA | One of the Cuban-Americans involved

'I do not regret my role in Watergate'

Manuel Aguilera Cristóbal |

Sunday 19/07/2009

"I wanted to overthrow Castro and unfortunately knocked the president who was helping us, to Richard Nixon." Rolando Eugenio Martinez describes himself as a frustrated. At 86 years does not regret his past as a 'plumber' of the 'Watergate' but regrets that he lost that and many other battles. Born in Artemisa, Cuba, had to flee in times of Batista. He returned home and fled the revolution of Fidel Castro to return to suffer another defeat in the attempt to Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961.

But what made him a "sorry" as he described, occurred the night of June 17, 1971 at 2:30 am in the morning. Rolando Martinez, alias 'Musculito', was arrested along with Virgilio Gonzalez, Bernard Baker, James McCord and Frank Sturgis inside the Democratic National Committee offices in the complex of buildings 'Watergate', in Washington.

It was the beginning of the political-journalistic adventure greatest ever told, it has generated countless articles, books and movies. Martinez still justified, 38 years later, the reasons for the assault that took him to jail with his comrades os: "We were going to steal documents showing that Castro was financing the campaign of Democrat McGovern."

(Eugenio Rolando Martinez exhibits a presidential pardon granted by Reagan. | M. Aguilera)

The four 'plumbers' from Miami who accompanied McCord, the security chief of the Committee for re-election of Nixon, not surprised that they recruit for this operation. All had worked for the CIA and as 'Musculito' "the sympathy of the Democratic candidate to the Cuban dictator was known by all. He had traveled to Cuba several times and had been seen together watching baseball games." Searching for evidence, he says, "the interference of a foreign country in choosing a U.S. president."

The start of operations of Martinez and his fellow Cuban-Americans in President Nixon's direct dependence began with all the trappings of spy films.

On April 17, 1971 was held in Miami the tenth anniversary of the landing at Playa Giron, the failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro carried out by 1,500 Cuban exiles supported by CIA. That day, Bernard Baker, Martinez's best friend, found a note on the door of his house: "If you're still the man I knew, come see me." The text was signed by Howard Hunt, an old acquaintance of both for his role in the operation that day was commemorated.

Hunt was responsible for political action by the Agency and played a key role in the overthrow of Arbenz as president of Guatemala in 1954. After visiting the memorial to the members of Brigade 2506, died in his fight against Fidel Castro, the three men were eating. "You are going to be active again," he snapped Hunt mysterious. The offer was part of a unit of the White House, personally led by Richard Nixon. In case there was some reluctance, Hunt reassures them that the CIA was aware of the creation of this group of actors who would work under the orders of the president. After 12 years working for intelligence agencies work of infiltration, sabotage, kidnapping, espionage etc. flattered Rolando Martinez: "I thought it was a promotion for me."

(Martinez walks handcuffed after Barker in 1973. | AP)

Within a few weeks 'Musculito' Baker and his friend were already down to work. "At first we investigate everyone who wanted to meet with Nixon," he says. Then came other missions that broke the law again and again. Like when they broke into the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg. Ellsberg had leaked to the New York Times' Pentagon documents about the war in Vietnam. "We wanted her psychiatrist reports to confirm whether he too had passed information to the Soviet Embassy and to know what their motivations."

On May 2, 1972, a month before the raid on the headquarters of the Democrats, the body of John Edgar Hoover, who had been director of the FBI since 1935, was exhibited in the rotunda of the Capitol site. The superiors of 'Musculito' groups feared anti-Vietnam left marched in the vicinity. Fifteen Cubans were recruited in Miami to deter protesters. Martinez recalls with a smile how to dissolve the manifestation of the actors who were part Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland: "I remember how they provoke. We took a Vietcong flag and broke up. We stopped, but then they let us go quickly."

In the midst of this frenetic activity of the unit created in the shadow of Tricky Dick, comes the first foray into Democratic headquarters. "I photographed a large number of documents and install the microphones, but we were forced to make a second visit."

Martinez maintains that he and his companions were victims of a trap concocted by James McCord, one of the five 'plumbers' that was formally part of the CIA. It was an undercover agent. "He betrayed us. He was a very mysterious. He told us the information we had collected was not enough and we had to repair a microphone that did not work well."

According to the story of Cuban living in Miami Beach, two things happened that raised their suspicions that night. "McCord placed a tape that does not close the door latch. He came and went, and one of the times I came back I asked a question then became famous during the subsequent trial, 'removing' tape '?'. He told me so. The tape was what caught the attention of security guard, who immediately alerted the police. "

The other fact is that McCord suspect forced his companions to turn off their walkie-talkies'. Thereby cut communication with an agent who was watching from the opposite building if the police came. The agent who was cut off was, according to Martinez-McCord relative and "also the Democratic Party."

In January 1973, the four 'plumbers' pleaded guilty to avoid trial and not have to testify about the details of the operation. Were convicted of conspiracy, theft and violation of federal law on communications. Two months later, McCord wrote a letter to the judge and the political scandal that ended with the resignation of President Nixon precipitated. McCord got immunity and Martinez served only 15 months to 40 years who was convicted.

Do you keep a grudge against Nixon? When you hear the question 'Musculito'-he got that nickname in his youth by an athletic-is placed in tension. Look at the reporter defiant statement: "Never. A president with this responsibility will not be aware of some Cubans ...".

After leaving prison, Rolando Eugenio Martinez lived a very hard time. "Still, if I have an operation in the same way then accept it again." Among the relics of the case 'Watergate' bears a special. It was a gift he sent Richard Nixon. It's a lucky clover gold where you can read an inscription in Spanish: "Good luck. Richard Nixon."

Perhaps the charm did its job because after having appeared before the world as a criminal, this agent still had time incombustible embark on a new spying operation in Cuba that was decorated and got a presidential pardon. Ronald Reagan restored his honor and gave him an unconditional pardon.

In 1995 he received a call from Oliver Stone, who advised in his movie 'Nixon'. Of the journalists of the Washington Post, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Martinez does not have very good opinion. They are considered very 'fictional' and what is more shocking coming from a dirty war expert, accused of "having used any means, including hidden-recordings in their research."

Thirty-eight years after the assault that triggered the scandal 'Watergate', Rolando Eugenio Martinez was killed at age 92 a few weeks ago his best friend and companion command, Bernard Barker. He insists that his life has been unsuccessful and he now regrets not having killed, as a hero in one of its covert operations. Now, at 86 years, while caring for his sick wife to Alzheimer's, "frustrated" that did not end Medicine, did not overthrow Batista or Fidel Castro and ended the political career of the man who protected him, has only one desire: "I feel like elephants. I want to die in Cuba, the land of my birth."

posted by PPAC @ 08/09/2010 8:21:00 AM

Zach

Rolando Eugenio Martinez was killed at age 92 a few weeks ago

This is not true, first off Rolando is 90, he has been sick, but doing much better lately, I have several emails from his daughter telling me so over the past few days.

[Guest Tom Scully]

Scott, you reacted to a sentence in a rough translation from Spanish to English. Reread it. It describes not the death of Martinez, but the death of his associate, Barker, age 92. It was written in 2010, so it fits with this.:

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-bernard-barker6-2009jun06,0,6871098.story

[Scott Kaiser]

Scott, you reacted to a sentence in a rough translation from Spanish to English. Reread it. It describes not the death of Martinez, but the death of his associate, Barker, age 92. It was written in 2010, so it fits with this.:

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-bernard-barker6-2009jun06,0,6871098.story

Yeah, I had already noticed that after my post, so I thought oh well might as well leave it up, now that everyone knows I've been corresponding with Rolando's daughter. I did get a bit ahead of myself. It was just the way it was worded that thew me off, you know! "Rolando Eugenio Martinez was killed at age 92 a few weeks ago". Can you see where I'm coming from?

Edited March 4, 2012 by Scott Kaiser

[Zach Robertson]

Here is an excerpt of a nice ESPN Outside the Lines article about the politics of Miami. Eugenio Martinez is interviewed as quoted below. Here is the link for the full article via our own Mike Hogan:

http://espn.go.com/e...ange-play-miami

MIAMI -- Ozzie Guillen's Castro comments reached every corner of Miami's powerful Cuban community in the week following his apology, including the quiet side street where the Watergate burglar lives. A few blocks from South Beach, a 90-year-old Cuban-American putters around a small condo filled with weights, self-help books like "Windows 7 for Seniors," and stacks of paper detailing his own brushes with history, including a presidential pardon signed by Ronald Reagan. Eugenio Martinez rolls up his sleeve and flexes.

"Let me show you," he says, laughing.

He spends his days lifting weights, looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary and trying to understand string theory. His wife has been gone two years now, and he's lonely without her. For 10 years he took care of her while she slowly died of Alzheimer's, and only now does he realize he didn't do that for her, but for him, because he didn't want to lose her. Alone, he thinks a lot about how he spent his life: a decade in the CIA, running hundreds of dangerous missions into Cuba, where he was born, trying to overthrow Castro.

The two most famous of his missions -- the Bay of Pigs and the break-in (he was one of the five "plumbers" caught mid-burglary, costing him 15 months but making sure his grandkids always had the coolest Nixon projects at school) -- ended in fiasco. Castro is still alive. Cuba is still communist. Ozzie Guillen can say he loves and respects Castro, and the manager is returning from suspension tonight on the 51st anniversary of the Bay of Pigs, which virtually no one seems to have noticed. Given all that, you'd expect Martinez to be livid with Guillen.

He's not.

Eugenio Martinez says he's tired of fighting and doesn't care about Guillen.

When Eugenio Martinez looks back at all the times he risked his life, and at the actions of the past five decades, he sees a waste. What was it all for? Nothing has changed -- and everything has changed.

He blames himself for the suffering of the Cuban people in the intervening decades, because the Bay of Pigs not only failed to overthrow Castro, it also entrenched him. Fidel led the counterassault himself, and earned a reputation as a man who could stand up to the Yankees.

That's why Martinez doesn't care about Ozzie Guillen. People who get angry about the comments of an "idiot" are fighting cosmetic wars, he believes, and in his small condo, Martinez seems tired of fighting.

"I don't hate," he says. "Normal people hate. I don't know what hate is. I don't hate anyone. I don't hate Castro. If I could kill him tomorrow, I would kill him as a benefit for Cuba. I'm different. Yeah, I would say that I'm different."

He wears his wedding ring on a chain around his neck. He underlines passages about himself in books, his once-steady hands shaking. There are grainy photographs of him on boats, unsmiling in a black hoodie, hands on a .50-caliber machine gun. Some people started new lives here, but he kept fighting for his old one. That's over now, and there's nothing more out of place than a samurai when the battle ends.

His missions, even the ones that went well, resulted in failure. In a dinette table in his kitchen, where the cupboards are filled with books, he finds a yellowed photograph. It's him, back in Cuba, with short wavy hair, a thin mustache, a gap-toothed grin. The man in that picture dreamed of being a doctor, but circumstances pushed him into a losing fight.

"I was young once," he says.

Zach