OSWALD'S CUBAN VISA APPLICATION

[Craig Carvalho]

Over the years debate continues regarding Oswald's alleged trip to Mexico City. I say 'alleged' because we have yet to see absolute proof that Lee Harvey Oswald was in fact the man who entered both the Cuban and Soviet embassies that weekend in late September - early October of 1963.

There is however some evidence to suggest that someone may have impersonated the future alleged assassin.

Concentrating on the Cuban embassy staff who interacted with Oswald, Silvia Duran had probably the most contact in terms of time. But I have never seen any comment made by Duran that directly identifies the Oswald in Mexico City to the Oswald who was being held in Dallas for the murder of JFK. As a matter of fact in her description, given to the Mexican authorities, she claimed Oswald had blond hair.

As for the Cuban Counsul Eusibio Azcue who had a face to face confrontation with Oswald, he testified before the HSCA that he would never have associated the Oswald in Mexico City as being the same as the Oswald in Dallas.

Azcue was soon afterward replaced as Counsul by Alfredo Mirabal Diaz. Diaz was also present during this confrontation. In Diaz's testimony, while he admitted having seen only glimpses of the man calling himself Oswald, Diaz would only agree that the man in the visa photographs was the same man who visited the Cuban embassy.

Ah, the visa photographs! Yes indeed! While the CIA station in Mexico City claimed to have missed Oswald's entrance(s) and exit(s) because of flaws in their surveilance program, we did have photographs afterall. And these were photographs supplied by the man alleging to be Oswald himself.

In her statement given to the Mexican authorities Mrs. Duran claimed to have recieved four photgraphs from Oswald upon his first returning to the Cuban embassy. She went on to state that she did in fact complete Oswald's visa application, (in duplicate), and stapled one photo to each copy and then had Oswald sign both of them in her presense.

Within just a few short weeks, and prior to JFK's assassination, Oswald's in-transit visa was approved by the Cubans with the caveat that Oswald obtain a Soviet visa as well. Logic would indicate then that at the time of Oswald's arrest in Dallas there must have still existed a paper trail on the Mexico City Oswald which would have included his photograph. 

Why was this avenue never explored? Or was it?

This leads me to wonder...

What exactly did Mexico COS Winston Scott have tucked away in his personal safe. A safe that soon after his death would be emptied by none other than James J. Angleton. The contents of which have never been seen publicly. If nothing else this case certainly has more than it's share of twists and turns.   

Edited January 5, 2022 by Craig Carvalho
grammar

[Benjamin Cole]

5 hours ago, Craig Carvalho said:

Over the years debate continues regarding Oswald's alleged trip to Mexico City. I say 'alleged' because we have yet to see absolute proof that Lee Harvey Oswald was in fact the man who entered both the Cuban and Soviet embassies that weekend in late September - early October of 1963.

There is however some evidence to suggest that someone may have impersonated the future alleged assassin.

Concentrating on the Cuban embassy staff who interacted with Oswald, Silvia Duran had probably the most contact in terms of time. But I have never seen any comment made by Duran that directly identifies the Oswald in Mexico City to the Oswald who was being held in Dallas for the murder of JFK. As a matter of fact in her description, given to the Mexican authorities, she claimed Oswald had blond hair.

As for the Cuban Counsul Eusibio Azcue who had a face to face confrontation with Oswald, he testified before the HSCA that he would never have associated the Oswald in Mexico City as being the same as the Oswald in Dallas.

Azcue was soon afterward replaced as Counsul by Alfredo Mirabal Diaz. Diaz was also present during this confrontation. In Diaz's testimony, while he admitted having seen only glimpses of the man calling himself Oswald, Diaz would only say that the man in the visa photographs was the same man who visited the Cuban embassy.

Ah, the visa photographs! Yes indeed! While the CIA station in Mexico City claimed to have missed Oswald's entrance(s) and exit(s) because of flaws in their surveilance program, we did have photographs afterall. And these were photographs supplied by the man alleging to be Oswald himself.

In her statement given to the Mexican authorities Mrs. Duran claimed to have recieved four photgraphs from Oswald upon his first returning to the Cuban embassy. She went on to state that she did in fact complete Oswald's visa application, (in duplicate), and stapled one photo to each copy and then had Oswald sign both of them in her presense.

Within just a few short weeks, and prior to JFK's assassination, Oswald's in-transit visa was approved by the Cubans with the caveat that Oswald obtain a Soviet visa as well. Logic would indicate then that at the time of Oswald's arrest in Dallas there must have still existed a paper trail on the Mexico City Oswald which would have included his photograph. 

Why was this avenue never explored? Or was it?

This leads me to wonder...

What exactly did Mexico COS Winston Scott have tucked away in his personal safe. A safe that soon after his death would be emptied by none other than James J. Angleton. The contents of which have never been seen publicly. If nothing else this case certainly has more than it's share of twists and turns.   

"Ah, the visa photographs! Yes indeed! While the CIA station in Mexico City claimed to have missed Oswald's entrance(s) and exit(s) because of flaws in their surveilance program, we did have photographs afterall. And these were photographs supplied by the man alleging to be Oswald himself.

In her statement given to the Mexican authorities Mrs. Duran claimed to have recieved four photgraphs from Oswald upon his first returning to the Cuban embassy. She went on to state that she did in fact complete Oswald's visa application, (in duplicate), and stapled one photo to each copy and then had Oswald sign both of them in her presense."--Craig C.

This seems important to me. It seems Duran accepted the four photographs as accurate representations of the LHO she saw.  Has anyone else ever seen these four photos? 

As for LHO never visiting Mexico City...I think he did, and was also impersonated while there. 

See this: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYI4PqtIyE0

Go to 1:04 mark. V. Kostikov and two other guys say they met Oswald, evidently the “real” LHO, in the Russian embassy. This program was first aired in 1993. 

This appears to be the real Kostikov. He may be lying, but for what purpose? 

My guess is LHO was impersonated and somewhat stage-managed through the whole Mexico trip. It was a "biography-builder" episode. The plan was to use LHO in a false flag, but unsuccessful JFKA.  But anti-Castro Cuban exiles, or perhaps CIA rogues, piggy-backed on the false-flag op, and made it real. 

Either way, the CIA could hardly have the story come out it was CIA-affiliated people who murdered JFK. Hence, the cover-up. 

 

 

 

[Craig Carvalho]

I agree Ben. I do believe Oswald was in Mexico City. And like you I am also beginning to believe he was impersonated during his stay there. Proof of this was established in the telephone intercepts. I was always of the opinion that the CIA's Mexico City station had called the Cuban embassy using Oswald's name in order to elicit information about Oswald's visits there. Nevertheless, the CIA lied about the recordings to the bitter end, (HSCA - Anne Goodpasture). They claimed that the tapes had been erased just days after being transcribed yet the FBI listened to them in Dallas after the assassination, and it was agreed that the voice on the tapes was not Oswald's.

BTW, I did see that documentary with Kostikov and company when it aired back in 1993. As far as the Soviets were concerned I think they would have said the Easter bunny had visited the embassy if that's what we wanted them to say. I don't believe they, (USSR), had anything to do with Oswald or the assassination. They simply did not want to be implicated in any way, (guilt by association). But it's entirely possible that Oswald did go there, and I believe he did. I don't think they were lying.

Getting back to the visa photographs. I have turned this over in my mind again and again. If Lee Harvey Oswald was the man in those four photographs what would the harm be in establishing that fact. The cat was already out of the bag so to speak. It also gave the CIA the opportunity to produce photographic evidence that Oswald was indeed in Mexico City without having to jeopardize their surveillance programs.

The only motive for the CIA to withhold such evidence would have been if the man in those photographs was not Oswald. That would have strongly suggested a conspiracy in the assassination. And the identity of the man in those photos would have lead them directly to those involved.

Win Scott in Mexico City knew this, and so did CIA headquarters. The only thing CIA headquarters could not be certain of is what Scott had hidden in his personal safe. The only thing it could have been was something the CIA should never have been able to obtain... photographs that were technically on Cuban soil... inside the Cuban embassy.

P.S. I can understand Scott's desire to protect an asset within the Cuban embassy, but there has been no indication in any of the previously or newly released documents that would suggest that Scott shared this information with headquarters. Again, if it was in fact Oswald who appeared in the visa photographs it certainly would have closed that door in terms of any alleged conspiracy... especially in one where the CIA might have been implicated. Indeed knowledge is power. Nowhere else is this more apparent than within the intelligence community. Add to this fact the CIA's compulsion for compartmentalization and it becomes even more so, and no single person within the CIA could have attested to this more than the beneficiary of Scott's private cache... James J. Angleton.

 

P.S. See Washington Post article dated 11/16/1993 entitled "FEEDING PERSISTENT SUSPIIONS" by Walter Pincus and George Lardner Jr. 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Craig Carvalho

[Craig Carvalho]

In regards to my post script left earlier, and in checking my notes made during a review of the most recently released JFK documents I think it is important to note that in a memo sent by Win Scott to CIA headquarters, Scott expressed his dismay at headquarters' decision to disseminate the photograph of the Mexico City "mystery man" which originated from that station's surveillance coverage. However, by the time Scott's memo reached Washington it was too late. The FBI had shown the photo to Marguerite Oswald on Saturday 23 November.

But at least we can understand Scott's train of thought regarding this matter. I for one would agree that it seems incredible that the CIA would want to expose themselves to even the slightest accusation of having been duped by an Oswald imposter... or even worse... part of a conspiracy/cover-up in the assassination. Perhaps this only served to deepen Scott's sense of the need to play his cards close to the vest. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Craig Carvalho

[Benjamin Cole]

On 1/3/2022 at 6:46 PM, Craig Carvalho said:

I agree Ben. I do believe Oswald was in Mexico City. And like you I am also beginning to believe he was impersonated during his stay there. Proof of this was established in the telephone intercepts. I was always of the opinion that the CIA's Mexico City station had called the Cuban embassy using Oswald's name in order to elicit information about Oswald's visits there. Nevertheless, the CIA lied about the recordings to the bitter end, (HSCA - Anne Goodpasture). They claimed that the tapes had been erased just days after being transcribed yet the FBI listened to them in Dallas after the assassination, and it was agreed that the voice on the tapes was not Oswald's.

BTW, I did see that documentary with Kostikov and company when it aired back in 1993. As far as the Soviets were concerned I think they would have said the Easter bunny had visited the embassy if that's what we wanted them to say. I don't believe they, (USSR), had anything to do with Oswald or the assassination. They simply did not want to be implicated in any way, (guilt by association). But it's entirely possible that Oswald did go there, and I believe he did. I don't think they were lying.

Getting back to the visa photographs. I have turned this over in my mind again and again. If Lee Harvey Oswald was the man in those four photographs what would the harm be in establishing that fact. The cat was already out of the bag so to speak. It also gave the CIA the opportunity to produce photographic evidence that Oswald was indeed in Mexico City without having to jeopardize their surveillance programs.

The only motive for the CIA to withhold such evidence would have been if the man in those photographs was not Oswald. That would have strongly suggested a conspiracy in the assassination. And the identity of the man in those photos would have lead them directly to those involved.

Win Scott in Mexico City knew this, and so did CIA headquarters. The only thing CIA headquarters could not be certain of is what Scott had hidden in his personal safe. The only thing it could have been was something the CIA should never have been able to obtain... photographs that were technically on Cuban soil... inside the Cuban embassy.

P.S. I can understand Scott's desire to protect an asset within the Cuban embassy, but there has been no indication in any of the previously or newly released documents that would suggest that Scott shared this information with headquarters. Again, if it was in fact Oswald who appeared in the visa photographs it certainly would have closed that door in terms of any alleged conspiracy... especially in one where the CIA might have been implicated. Indeed knowledge is power. Nowhere else is this more apparent than within the intelligence community. Add to this fact the CIA's compulsion for compartmentalization and it becomes even more so, and no single person within the CIA could have attested to this more than the beneficiary of Scott's private cache... James J. Angleton. 

Craig C.--

The JFKA saga is endless, but I am amazed more has not been made of the four missing ID photographs of LHO witnessed by Duran. I think a reasonable deduction is the four photos were a match for the "Oswald" she dealt with. But they are not photos of the LHO we know. As you know, Duran said she dealt a blond man. 

Great posting by you. 

A reasonable deduction is the four photos have been suppressed. 

What that means, at a minimum, is a CIA cover-up. Does it mean LHO was in fact a CIA asset? Or other intel agency asset? Can't figure it out. 

 

[Craig Carvalho]

Benjamin, I want to thank you for sharing your insight with me, and your thoughtful encouragement on this topic.

Perhaps this has been covered before. It's entirely possible that this information has been previously discussed here by researchers that have plumbed depths of this case I have yet to explore.

It has been a long haul for me... nearly 45 years. In the weeks leading up to Christmas a new batch of declassified documents were released, (about 1400 pages in total). I spent most of my free time pouring over these and found only a few additional details that I would consider noteworthy. Others will certainly find more, I am sure. Just last night, after working a 10 hour day, I re-read 139 pages of HSCA testimony by David Phillips, the CIA's Cuban affairs man in Mexico City. I am sure you yourself have spent these endless hours and days studying this case. And yes it is an endless saga. But not without it's rewards.

In re-reading Phillips testimony I found something that although I do recall having seen it the first time, it never seemed all that important. Phillips admitted under oath that the he/CIA had a number of (redacted) assets working inside the Cuban embassy. At least one of which worked in the administrative offices. How difficult would it have been for this asset to have simply photographed Oswald's visa application with his photo and signature on it? All that would have been left to do was get the film out of the embassy and to a drop location. If so, Win Scott would have had what he had repeatedly asked Washington for... a photograph of Oswald... or at best his impersonator.

Keep in mind that it was Win Scott who made the request of the Mexican authorities to have Duran arrested and held in incommunicado, and would have been the first to receive Duran's statement(s) regarding Oswald's visa application, (even before headquarters), because this information flowed from the Mexican authorities... to COS Mexico City, Win Scott... to CIA headquarters.

Perhaps headquarters in Washington based their decision to disseminate the photo Mexico City had mistakenly used to identify Oswald because they knew Oswald had been impersonated... better to have a photo of a "mystery man" circulating, rather than a photo of an impersonator who could be identified... and traced back to them!

Another interesting side note that I discovered while reading Dr. John Newman's book, "Oswald and the CIA", was that shortly before Mexico City station had sent headquarters their first report on Oswald's visit to the Cuban and Soviet embassies, Phillips was recalled to Washington, (TDY). Phillips arrived back in Mexico City just in time to receive his copy of CIA headquarters' response, (Sept. 30 - Oct. 9).

 

P.S. According to HSCA testimony of Robert Shaw, (MCS), there were two CIA assets at work within the Cuban Embassy. A female in the counselor office - LITAMIL-7 and a male embassy official - LITAMIL-9

  

Edited January 5, 2022 by Craig Carvalho

[Benjamin Cole]

On 1/5/2022 at 7:30 PM, Craig Carvalho said:

Benjamin, I want to thank you for sharing your insight with me, and your thoughtful encouragement on this topic.

Perhaps this has been covered before. It's entirely possible that this information has been previously discussed here by researchers that have plumbed depths of this case I have yet to explore.

It has been a long haul for me... nearly 45 years. In the weeks leading up to Christmas a new batch of declassified documents were released, (about 1400 pages in total). I spent most of my free time pouring over these and found only a few additional details that I would consider noteworthy. Others will certainly find more, I am sure. Just last night, after working a 10 hour day, I re-read 139 pages of HSCA testimony by David Phillips, the CIA's Cuban affairs man in Mexico City. I am sure you yourself have spent these endless hours and days studying this case. And yes it is an endless saga. But not without it's rewards.

In re-reading Phillips testimony I found something that although I do recall having seen it the first time, it never seemed all that important. Phillips admitted under oath that the he/CIA had a number of (redacted) assets working inside the Cuban embassy. At least one of which worked in the administrative offices. How difficult would it have been for this asset to have simply photographed Oswald's visa application with his photo and signature on it? All that would have been left to do was get the film out of the embassy and to a drop location. If so, Win Scott would have had what he had repeatedly asked Washington for... a photograph of Oswald... or at best his impersonator.

Keep in mind that it was Win Scott who made the request of the Mexican authorities to have Duran arrested and held in incommunicado, and would have been the first to receive Duran's statement(s) regarding Oswald's visa application, (even before headquarters), because this information flowed from the Mexican authorities... to COS Mexico City, Win Scott... to CIA headquarters.

Perhaps headquarters in Washington based their decision to disseminate the photo Mexico City had mistakenly used to identify Oswald because they knew Oswald had been impersonated... better to have a photo of a "mystery man" circulating, rather than a photo of an impersonator who could be identified... and traced back to them!

Another interesting side note that I discovered while reading Dr. John Newman's book, "Oswald and the CIA", was that shortly before Mexico City station had sent headquarters their first report on Oswald's visit to the Cuban and Soviet embassies, Phillips was recalled to Washington, (TDY). Phillips arrived back in Mexico City just in time to receive his copy of CIA headquarters' response, (Sept. 30 - Oct. 9).

 

P.S. According to HSCA testimony of Robert Shaw, (MCS), there were two CIA assets at work within the Cuban Embassy. A female in the counselor office - LITAMIL-7 and a male embassy official - LITAMIL-9

  

Great stuff--but I come back to it: There were four physical photographs of LHO attached to his visa application in Mexico City. 

Where are those photos? Almost surely, there are not of the "real" LHO, or they would have been made public. 

After 11/22, the CIA or US government did not need a plant in the Cuban embassy. They could just ask for the photos. Are we to believe the US government asked to see the visa application photos and was denied? 

I have not done the research in depth as you have, except on a few bite-sized topics about the JFKA, such as John Connally's shirt, or maybe soon a review of the Walker shooting.  

I look forward to more posts by you. 

 

[John Butler]

On 1/2/2022 at 5:59 PM, Craig Carvalho said:

There is however some evidence to suggest that someone may have impersonated the future alleged assassin.

The evidence is there in plain sight.  Just take a detailed look at the passport application photo.  JB and JC are going to love this.

David Josephs has done good work on this.  Read up on what he had to say.

This is a better look at the passport app photo:

This is the passport photo on the right (left hand) and a contrast heightened photo on the left (right hand).  There are two things to notice.  Number 1 is that this is an altered photo in two ways.  First off, a Harvey face mask is applied to whoever this is under it.  I always suspect this is actually Kerry Thornley (The blond haired Oswald.  Thornley has a round head and Oswald doesn't).  The face mask is seen better in the contrasted photo with a red arrow pointing to it.

The second alteration is when someone cut this photo out from an original and they didn't cut out all of the left shoulder of the Oswald figure.  Downward pointing arrow.  So, Oswald appears to be a cripple with a missing arm. 

This immediately tells you something is not right in the Oswald in Mexico story.  And, that's just what it is, a story. 

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by John Butler

[Craig Carvalho]

While I lack the skills neccessary to engage in an intelligent debate over photgraphic enhancement/alteration techniques, I believe an equally important question must be asked... if the man who applied for the Cuban in-transit visa, and supplied the photographs for the application, at the Cuban Embassy in September/October of 1963 was in fact the same Lee Harvey Oswald arrested in Dallas following JFK's assassination, then why didn't the CIA simply make this fact public knowledge in November of 1963... rather than perpetuating the idea of an imposter by disseminating a photograph of a man who clearly was not Oswald and whom, to this day, has never been possitively identified?

Why, also, did the CIA continue it's false reporting regarding the errasure of the voice recordings produced by their Mexico City station during Oswald's alleged visit to Mexico City? We know that J. Edgar Hoover, in a recorded phone conversation with LBJ on 11/23/63 stated that agents who had interviewed Oswald had listened to the tapes and had agreed that the voice was not that of Oswald. We also know that the Warren Commission was offered the opportunity to listen to these tapes by COS, (MCS), Win Scott. Yet, as late as the mid to late-1970's, during HSCA classified testimony, it was still the CIA's position that the tapes had been reused and thereby erased almost immediately after being transcribed.

Any answer in the affirmative, that it was our Lee Harvey Oswald AND ONLY Lee Harvey Oswald in Mexico City prior to the assassination, defies all logic in terms of the official CIA response to, and handling of, the so-called "evidence".

The only possible alternative that I can invision would be that Oswald's visit, (known or unknown to him), had been part of an on-going CIA/JMWAVE operation against the Cubans. This would also support the hypothesis that Oswald had not made the trip to Mexico City alone, ie., had been impersonated.

 

P.S. OTOH, Perhaps I am over thinking this entire affair. What if the CIA was simply trying to avoid the scrutiny the J. Edgar Hoover faced when Dallas Police Chief Jesse Curry told the press that the FBI had known Oswald was in Dallas prior to the assassination? What if the CIA was simply trying to cast doubt on what they had known since November 22, 1963... they had a future assassin in their sights just weeks before a presidential assassination and they let him slip through their fingers?     

Edited January 7, 2022 by Craig Carvalho
Post Script

[Craig Carvalho]

The following are two pages from a declassified document related to the HSCA investigation and pertain specifically to Oswald's trip to Mexico City. I have supplied the first image only to give the reader some point of reference in terms of topics dicussed. At the top of both pages I have highlighted the page numbers of this report, (259 and 265). What I found startling is the notation made by the person who typed the report in the image of page 265. This comment follows Duran's description of the Oswald she encountered as well as Ms. Garra de Paz's description of one of Oswald's alleged companions. I have also highlighted the notation.

While the notation may have been made "tongue in cheek" to some degree, I feel it is important to take notice that even those in positions of authority whose responsibilty it was to thoroughly investigate this matter found it difficult to refrain from speculating on possible scenarios.  

 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Craig Carvalho
file size

[Benjamin Cole]

Craig C.-

The whole Mexico City story is a riddle. My guess is LHO was an intel asset, and went down to Mexico City on instructions, part of a "biography build." 

The CIA was trying to build up a paper trail, but also perhaps trying to build up a case for an impersonator.  

So why evidence of an impersonator? 

Well, I (above) posted my pet explanation of the JFKA above. 

So, why would the CIA want evidence of an impersonator? 

Maybe the idea was that LHO's handlers promised him they would clear him after the failed JFKA. They would say (post-failed JFKA) he had been impersonated by someone, including the mysterious Alex Hidell.  Or maybe they promised him a new identity and a life in South America. (In fact, Hoover suggested someone had impersonated LHO). 

Obviously, everything fell apart when JFK was shot for real. The first cover story was that LHO was a Castro-commie, but then that looked like it might trigger WWIII, so the next cover story was that LHO was a lone nut. 

Some very smart researchers suspect JMWave-Cuban exiles were responsible for the JFKA. Tough to see a fit between JMWave-exiles and LHO, or how and why they would want to make LHO the patsy (assuming LHO was a CIA asset, which I think he was). 

I sure would like to see the four photos of LHO that Duran accepted in his visa application.