COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY JAMES O. EASTLAND, Mississippi, Chairman JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Arkansas EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts QUENTIN N. BURDICK, North Dakota ROBERT C. BYRD, West Virginia JAMES ABOUREZK, South Dakota ROMAN L. HRUSKA, Nebraska HUGH SCOTT, Pennsylvania STROM THURMOND, South Carolina SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INTERNAL Resolved by the Internal Security Subcommittee of the Senate Com- Approved: November 6, 1975. JAMES O. EASTLAND, Chairman. (II) TERRORISTIC ACTIVITY The Cuban Connection in Puerto Rico WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1975 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE AND OTHER INTERNAL SECURITY LAWS The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 12:30 p.m., in room 5110, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Strom Thurmond presiding. Also present: J. G. Sourwine, chief counsel, Alfonso Tarabochia, chief investigator; David Martin, senior analyst; Robert J. Short, senior investigator; and Mary E. Dooley, director of research. Senator THURMOND. Terrorist bombings by Puerto Rican revolutionaries, in this country and in Puerto Rico, have attracted much attention because bombings are spectacular. But information gathered by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee over the past several years points to the conclusion that the bombings may have concealed a much more important aspect of the Puerto Rican situation. If the word of the Communists means anything, what this evidence suggests is that international communism has been using Puerto Rico as a bridgehead to infiltrate, disrupt and ultimately bring about revolution in the United States. The leading role played by Cuba in these efforts is self-proclaimed and well publicized, because Cuba has been the fountainhead of revolution in Puerto Rico since Castro took power in 1959. Next month, on September 5-7, Havana will be the meeting place of a Conference of Solidarity with Puerto Rican Independence, sponsored by the Moscow-dominated World Peace Council. Fermin Arraiza, leader of the delegation of the Socialist Party of Puerto Rico at the Nonalined Nations Conference in Havana made this statement on March 17, 1975: Puerto Rico's independence is, perhaps, one of the strategic objectives of the world liberation forces and the world's anti-imperialistic forces, because the proclamation of our independence could be the spark that will start the victorious struggle for the second and true independence of the exploited and discriminated against people of the United States of America. Arraiza left no doubts as to who was responsible for the revolutionary efforts. In the next paragraph he stated: Cuba has been a vanguard in the international struggle of solidarity for independence of Puerto Rico. (319) The purpose of today's hearing is to look into this situation. We have with us today as witnesses Mr. Francisco Martinez, a dedicated Puerto Rican who has made an extensive study of the Socialist Party of Puerto Rico, which is the political and action arm of the Marxist revolutionary forces in the Caribbean island; and Mr. Alfonso Tarabochia, chief investigator for the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, who has investigated this situation systematically from its beginning. Mr. Martinez, the subcommittee understands that, for reasons of personal security, it is imperative that you present the testimony you are about to give today under an assumed name. You have identified yourself to the committee. The committee staff is satisfied with the integrity of your testimony. Under these circumstances, and with knowledge of your true identity, the subcommittee will take your testimony under the name you have assumed and you will be sworn under this name. Mr. Martinez and Mr. Tarabochia, will you rise and be sworn. The evidence you are about to give the subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Mr. MARTINEZ. I do. Mr. TARABOCHIA. I do. TESTIMONY OF FRANCISCO MARTINEZ Senator THURMOND. Mr. Martinez, will you tell us something about your background. Mr. MARTINEZ. Yes, sir. I work as a consultant and researcher for several private interests in Puerto Rico industrial companies in the field of labor relations and particularly as it relates to Communist infiltration in the labor unions. I have also worked as chief researcher for a nonprofit organization sponsored by local interests. And that is my relation with the subject of these hearings, sir. Senator THURMOND. For how many years have you worked in this field? Mr. MARTINEZ. About 5 years, sir. Senator THURMOND. And since you first began working in the field, you have followed the activities of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party. Mr. MARTINEZ. Yes, sir. Senator THURMOND. Is the Puerto Rican Socialist Party a socialist party in the sense of the European socialist parties? Mr. MARTINEZ. No, sir. It is a Marxist-Leninist party, which means it follows the line of the hard Communist parties. Senator THURMOND. It follows the Moscow-Havana line? Mr. MARTINEZ. Particularly the Havana line, sir. Senator THURMOND. Right. I believe you have a prepared statement, Mr. Martinez. It will help us, I think, if you will read your prepared statement first, and then we may have some questions, or staff may have some questions that they will want to address to you. Mr. MARTINEZ. Thank you, sir. Just to put my presentation in the proper perspective, I would like to quote a statement made by Juan Mari Bras, the Secretary General of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, when he was secretary of the Pro-Independence Movement. |