Manuel Ray

I do not know Harry Ruiz-Williams, nor his affiliation. In Cuba I knew a guy with a latin name, that I do not remember, but don’t sound as Harry Ruiz, who’s war name was “Captain Willams”. Since then I lost his whereabouts. I doubt he is the person you refer to. But as curiosity this is the background about the person I know: i) Before 1959, he was a “26th July” member. His participation in the kidnapping of Fangio was very remarkable, he was the driver of the jeep used for the abduction. ii) In 1960, he enrolled in MRP and then worked directly with me. He was dependable and very skilled in explosives and detonation devices. No. I think this was not an “Oswald alone” event, because of the following improbabilities: 1. Oswald being hired to work in that building, two or three months before the event. Knowing the Presidential caravan trajectory and the location from where to have very good aim to the President. 2. Once in the scene he felt could had consecutive shots, sharp on target, therefore no urgency, and be able to escape from the scene as he did back to home. 3. Ruby, a Cabaret Operator, affronting the consequences of killing Oswald moved by the possible grief of Jacqueline at the courts. Not withstanding that Oswald testimony was the best hope to unwrap the truth. Ruby knew that this action may cost him his live, but certainly his lifetime liberty. 4. Ruby going inside the police station, and reaching so close to Oswald to give him “one professional shot”, that he could not pronounce a word forever. Anyone of these four improbabilities alone could have happened; but all four is impossible without enormous resources, skilled plotters and extensive contacts in Texas. I believe, as most probable: A very few disgruntled political power-losers and/or racist conceived the idea; and engaged skilled plotters from one of the existing gangs within the intelligence agencies. Those to plan and execute the assassination. Then the plan included disaffected Mafia to act independently to eliminate Oswald. This could explain why Oswald returns home, and when arrested he did not talk; still expecting some help from his recruiters. Also Ruby did not know other participants, except his boss. I think when Kennedy was elected the US Government had a change of brain and heart, but some of its hands became wild and reluctant to the changes.

I did not have any contact with the CIA people in that period. I never met a person with any of the names you listed. Maybe some of them crossed my way with a different identity. I knew about Howard Hunt only by his deeds outside Cuba. No. No.

You probably refer to the plan of Cmte. Rolando Cubela. The facts I know follows. Cubela was to make a trip to Spain and France, and sent me a message to meet him in Madrid. We met soon upon arrival, as scheduled. We talked about his plan and the ways we could contribute. In a second meeting while in Madrid he told me that a friend of him insisted into meeting Artime, who was also in Madrid, and wanted to meet him. He acceded and they also talked about the plan; but then he was feeling uneasy about that meeting. In Paris we met again and established a safe mail communication route. He went back to Cuba and wrote to confirm our communication route. Short time after, Artime’s chauffer went back to Cuba and made public he was a Castro agent and implicated Cubela. He was arrested, given a 30 yr sentence, and liberated after 15 yr in jail. Now, he is working as physician in Spain. Rolando Cubela informed me about the plan. Names and locations were not asked nor disclosed, as it shall be. Timing was to be set. I was committed to the plan. I would have participated in every possible way. Same answer as in previous question.

He was not. No. He was not a member of JURE. No.

I do not believe the story. How they related Oswald to JFK before the assassination? Assuming the visit is true, why not special precautions were taken in Dallas, where Oswald lived? Why simple interrogation or surveillance on him were not made?, etc. If they had alerted Robert Kennedy and the CIA, how is it possible Robert Kennedy saying to Williams on November 22, 1963, “One of your guys did it”. Sylvia did not attributed any importance to Oswald’s visit and told me about it after JFK assassination. She never told me about the alleged visit by Murgado and De Torres while Oswald was there. I learned about that allegation from your question.

I think the plotters did not need the risk of that disclosure. Therefore, I don’t believe either Artime or any other Cuban exile leader was informed in anticipation of the assassination plot. If the visit happened I believe Artime, upon request of some of his friends, could had sent his associates to Sylvia as witness of Oswald being there, but probably with other visit purpose, like “tracking a dangerous person” inside JURE. The real purpose being to frame an implicating decoy (see also my answer to question 6). After the facts, is possible he could had recognized instances like Sylvia Odio episode and inferred relationships between some of his friends and the assassination.

Yes we were very active in 1963. We had strong ties with the governments of Venezuela, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. In Chicago we had a good support group. One small in Tampa. None in New Orleans. And when Sylvia Odio moved to Dallas, she thought of organizing a support group there. We worked with most of the Cuban exile groups that were self managed and did not have links with the Batista’s regime remains. Same with independent exile leaders, but bypassed those with corrupt past. With Artime our relation was very cold, with few “long arm length” contacts at the rank and file level. In Howard Hunt’s book “Give me this day”, between many lies and loaded arguments, transpires how he managed Artime’s group. We fought for something better. (Artime spent his last several years as business partner of dictator Somoza; and died of cancer.)

Manuel Ray was born in Cuba in 1924. In 1947 the Cuban Ministry of Public Works granted him a scholarship to study civil engineering at the University of Utah. Ray returned to Cuba in 1949 and became project manager for the construction of the Hilton Hotel in Havana. Ray was opposed to the military rule of Fulgencio Batista and in 1957 he established the Civic Resistance Movement. Over the next two years Ray organized a series of sabotage and acts of terrorism against the Batista government. Fidel Castro recognised the important role Ray played in the overthrow of Batista and appointed him as his Minister of Public Works (February, 1959). Ray clashed with Castro over certain issues. This included Castro's decision to execute Hubert Matos. In November, 1959, Ray left Castro's government. In May 1960 Ray formed the Revolutionary Movement of the People (MRP) and joined the underground resistance to Castro. The MRP was a left of centre political organization that's policies included regulation of private investment and the nationalization of all utilities. The Central Intelligence Agency considered Ray an important political asset and in November, 1960, arranged for him to escape to the United States. However, the CIA was not in complete agreement about Ray. For example, E. Howard Hunt saw Ray as too left-wing and described him as a supporter of "Fidelism without Fidel". Despite these fears, Kennedy insisted that Ray should become part of the Frente Revolucionario Democratico (FRD). This upset its leader, Jose Miro Cardona, who considered Ray to be a dangerous radical. William Pawley, who believed that Ray was a communist, also objected to him becoming a member of FRD. Kennedy also wanted Ray to join the Cuban Revolutionary Council (CRC). Ray agreed to do this three weeks before the Bay of Pigs operation. Ray became Chief of Sabotage and Internal Affairs. Other members of this government in exile included Tony Varona (Secretary of War), Manuel Artime (Head of the Army), Antonio Maceo (Secretary of Health) and Justo Carrillo (Economic Administrator). Ray withdrew the MRP from the CRC soon after the failed invasion of Cuba. He gave a news conference on 28th May, 1961, where he criticised the Bay of Pigs operation. He claimed that CRC had broken a pledge to ensure that anyone closely associated with Fulgencio Batista would not be used in the invasion. Ray also argued that Castro should be overthrown by the Cuban people and was totally opposed to CIA backed invasions. Kennedy now cut off funds for the MRP. As a result, party members persuaded Ray to resign as leader of the MRP. Ray now moved to Puerto Rico. In October 1961 he became a member of the Puerto Rican Planning Board. In April 1962, Ray formed a new anti-Castro organization called the Junta Revolucionario Cubana (JURE). This organization became part of the CRC. Ray also began providing information to the CIA about the possible defection of Castro's officials. Ray made a tour of Latin American countries in an attempt to raise funds in order that JURE could mount resistance operations inside Cuba. Silvia Odio was one of Ray's supporters. On 25th September, 1963, Odio had a visit from three men who claimed they were from New Orleans. Two of the men, Leopoldo and Angelo, said they were members of the JURE. The third man, Leon, was introduced as an American sympathizer who was willing to take part in the assassination of Fidel Castro. After she told them that she was unwilling to get involved in any criminal activity, the three men left. Odio became convinced that after the assassination of Kennedy that Leon was Lee Harvey Oswald. Odio gave evidence to the Warren Commission and one of its lawyers commented: "Silvia Odio was checked out thoroughly... The evidence is unanimously favorable... Odio is the most significant witness linking Oswald to the anti-Castro Cubans." On 20th May, 1964, Ray and a crew of seven, including a reporter-photographer team from Life Magazine, landed at the Angguilla Cays, 40 miles off the Cuban coast. However, the British authorities discovered Ray and his group and their cache of weapons and explosives, arrested them for illegal entry into the Bahamas and took them to Nassau. After being fined Ray was deported to the United States. The FBI now carried out an investigation into Ray's activities and discovered that he had illegally purchased $50,000 worth of arms for JURE from a California arms manufacturer. As a result Ray was told to move all his operations outside of United States territory. Attempts were also made to stop people in the United States from financing Ray's activities. Ray continued to get involved in anti-Castro activities and in 1972 he formed the People's Revolutionary Party, but it failed to make an impact. In 1978 Ray moved to Puerto Rico when he headed his own engineering consulting firm in San Juan.