'El Mexicano'

[James Richards]

Francesca,

A bit more on Francisco Rodriguez Tamayo if you are still looking into him.

He used the alias Nicolas Diaz and his Agency file was 201-293114. That may help with specific document searches.

He was born in 1932 in Puerto Rico. I'm not sure how or when he came to Cuba but he was a Captain in Castro's rebel army until June 1959 when he left for the United States and set himself up in Miami.

Curiously the FBI were very interested in him early in 1963. Efigenio Armejeiras told them that as of July 1963, 'El Mexicano' was a paid Castro agent and that he had been associating with Pedro Diaz Lanz.

In 1968, Rodriguez Tamayo was suspected of being involved in an assassination plot in Venezuela (target unknown).

All in all, a very curious character.

James

[Tim Gratz]

Francesca wrote:

I think the problem is of course just because someone was a cuban exile doesn't mean they were involved in the assassination or just because they disliked kennedy.

A brilliant observation! First, of course, is the fact that not only Cuban exiles disliked JFK. Some indeed liked him very much. And even though some disliked him VERY much because of the betrayal at the Bay of Pigs, that does not mean they were involved in the assassination.

Francesca, I offer you a research project that should be quite simple: research why most Cubans have three names and what the last name means.

Edited September 28, 2007 by Tim Gratz

[Francesca Akhtar]

Francesca,

A bit more on Francisco Rodriguez Tamayo if you are still looking into him.

He used the alias Nicolas Diaz and his Agency file was 201-293114. That may help with specific document searches.

He was born in 1932 in Puerto Rico. I'm not sure how or when he came to Cuba but he was a Captain in Castro's rebel army until June 1959 when he left for the United States and set himself up in Miami.

Curiously the FBI were very interested in him early in 1963. Efigenio Armejeiras told them that as of July 1963, 'El Mexicano' was a paid Castro agent and that he had been associating with Pedro Diaz Lanz.

In 1968, Rodriguez Tamayo was suspected of being involved in an assassination plot in Venezuela (target unknown).

All in all, a very curious character.

James

Hi James,

many thanks for the information! I'm still interested in him yes although lately have been busy with other things and have taken a bit of a break from research lately. His agency number is very useful thanks. I am also interested in the alleged link to Pedro Diaz Lanz as he was one of David Ferrie's associates I believe.

Is he still alive by the way? (Lanz not Ferrie :-). I haven't come across an obituary on the internet so far.

[Francesca Akhtar]

Francesca wrote:

I think the problem is of course just because someone was a cuban exile doesn't mean they were involved in the assassination or just because they disliked kennedy.

A brilliant observation! First, of course, is the fact that not only Cuban exiles disliked JFK. Some indeed liked him very much. And even though some disliked him VERY much because of the betrayal at the Bay of Pigs, that does not mean they were involved in the assassination.

Yes but just because it can't be said that ALL cuban exiles were involved in the plot to Kill JFK, that doesn't however mean that SOME were not.....

Francesca, I offer you a research project that should be quite simple: research why most Cubans have three names and what the last name means.

Well I have no idea on that one I'm afraid....

[Penny Flynn]

Spanish and Hispanic people take both their father and mother's surnames. So they all have a first name and two surnames i.e. Felipe Gonzalez Márquez. When Spanish women marry, they keep their own name but can add their husband's if they wish. My sister is married to a Spaniard and her full name is Joanne Steel (de) Cudilleiro. Any children would be :Juan(ita) Cudilleiro Steel.

Hope this helps. Now you can get on with your discussion!

All the best

Penny

[H.L Arledge]

Does anyone have any new information on Francisco Rodriguez Tamayo?

[Bill Simpich]

To H.L. Arledge - I am in the middle of a research project on El Mexicano, not near to finished...I posted a small part of it on Mary Ferrell today.

 

In Jim Garrison's famous Playboy interview, he stated his belief that Oswald was accompanied to Mexico City and he knew who it was.

 

The FBI thought "Oswald in Mexico City" was accompanied by Francisco Tamayo Rodriguez, "El Mexicano" - who I have studied in depth, he was a CIA operative or more, I think he ultimately answered to the US.  I don't think he went to Mexico City with LHO or anyone in Sept 63.  

 

It was a "Rene Carballo" who supposedly called Bringuier who started this rumor.  This looks like a dirty trick, because the only trace FBI could find on that name was a Cuban intelligence chief.  The CIA came up with nothing more as of Oct 67. 

 

The FBI came to the conclusion, without quite saying it, that it believed that Bernardo de Torres was impersonating "Rene Carballo", and that he was the one who had telephoned Bringuier - who claimed to have a tape of the conversation and for all I know has it to this day.

 

I think the "El Mexicano" story was disinformation supplied to Garrison to confuse him and help him get confused.  I think this happened to him many times.  This is part of the Garrison story that - at least for me - is largely unexplored.  Everyone gets caught up with defending Garrison or attacking Garrison, and this aspect remains untold.

 

 

Without going into the weeds, I think El Mexicano was at least a CIA operative and may have had multiple alliances - see 180-10144-10011, pp. 4: On 6/10/59, Rodriguez Tamayo arrived in US and sought refugee status. In 1968 "Phoney data used by subject in Venezuela: NicolasDiaz, DOB 1932...rumored trip made on behalf US government, possibly GOLIATH/CIA."

 

Any thoughts on this?

[Matt Allison]

I wonder if Tamayo was considered "burnable", for lack of a better term, in 1967, and thus was thrown out there as someone Garrison could chase without ultimately getting anywhere. DeTorres apparently used up a crazy amount of Garrison's budget, and made sure none of the leads he gave him went anywhere.  It would certainly be interesting to find out the exact chain of introductions that got DeTorres onto Garrison's staff.

 

[Larry Hancock]

Actually we do know that and have documents for it.  I've written about it before but generally speaking it began with Garrison sending investigators to Miami to inquire into what was felt to be a mysterious, most likely Cuban, seen in NO photos with Oswald leafleting and reported by various people in Oswald's company.  When Garrison's investigators arrived in Miami they needed contacts to pursue the lead, contacted local police and in the end were referred to a long time detective agency - owned by DeTorres's brother - as a great source on all things Cuban.  And given that de Torres was serving as the intelligence officer for the reconstituted volunteer Brigade, who better to know all things Cuban in Miami.  The rest follows...if you wanted a gate keeper for the conspiracy in Miami nobody was in a better position than de Torres. 

[Guest]

HSCA notes - Francisco Rodriguez Tamayo.

Thanks to Malcolm Blunt.

[Bill Simpich]

"El Mexicano" is now posted on MFF as a pseudonym for Francisco Rodriguez Tamayo.   A pretty good distillation of his story.  Thanks to Malcolm and Bart, I included the HSCA notes in the discussion section.

My thinking is that El Mexicano was a double or triple agent, working with whoever was most convenient at the time.  Everything I've seen indicates he was a scoundrel.  When Garrison received information that he accompanied Oswald to Mexico City, he lost a lot of credibility.  I think Garrison fell for disinformation planted to lead him astray.