Rafael Quintero
Encyclopedia
Rafael "Chi Chi" Quintero Ibaria (September 16, 1940 – October 1, 2006) was a CIA operative, who was born in Camagüey Province
of Cuba
and died in Baltimore, Maryland.
He joined the resistance movement to Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista
when he was a young student. A few days prior to the Cuban Revolution
he joined Fidel Castro
's group in the Sierra Maestra
.
After becoming dissatisfied with the Castro regime he joined Manuel Artime
against Castro. Artime's group was supported by Frank Sturgis
and the CIA as related by Fabian Escalante in CIA Covert Operations: 1959 - 1962. Sturgis flew a CIA plane over Havana
dropping thousands of pamphlets urging the Cuban people to overthrow the Castro regime on October 21, 1959 as part of Artime's operations. About December 1959, Manuel Artime left Cuba
with a hundred thousand pesos when nothing happened. Quintero moved to the United States
the next month.
On June 5, 1960, The Movement for the Recovery of the Revolution or (MRR) was created by Manuel Artime
, Tony Varona, Aureliano Arango, Jose Miro Cardona
and Quintero. About the same time Quintero became a member of Operation 40
along with other anti-Castro Cubans. In 1961 Quintero secretly re-entered Cuba
and was arrested just prior to the Bay of Pigs Invasion
, was released and returned to the U.S.
Rafael Quintero served as deputy leader of MRR under Artime in 1962. Manuel Artime got money from the CIA through Theodore Shackley
in 1963. Artime, Quintero and Felix Rodriguez
moved to Nicaragua
creating an army of 300 men and obtained weapons, supplies and boats to invade Cuba
.
Camagüey Province
Camagüey is the largest of the provinces of Cuba. Its capital is Camagüey. Other towns include Florida and Nuevitas.-Geography:Camagüey is mostly low lying, with no major hills or mountain ranges passing through the province...
of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and died in Baltimore, Maryland.
He joined the resistance movement to Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
when he was a young student. A few days prior to the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
he joined Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
's group in the Sierra Maestra
Sierra Maestra
Sierra Maestra is a mountain range that runs westward across the south of the old Oriente Province from what is now Guantánamo Province to Niquero in southeast Cuba, rising abruptly from the coast. Some view it as a series of connecting ranges , which joins with others extending to the west...
.
After becoming dissatisfied with the Castro regime he joined Manuel Artime
Manuel Artime
Manuel Francisco Artime Buesa, M.D. was a Cuban-American who former took part to the rebel army of Fidel Castro, later was the political leader of Brigade 2506 land forces in the abortive Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in April 1961.-Biography:Manuel Artime was the nephew of popular Cuban poet José...
against Castro. Artime's group was supported by Frank Sturgis
Frank Sturgis
Frank Anthony Sturgis , born Frank Angelo Fiorini, was one of the Watergate burglars.-Early Life and Military Service:...
and the CIA as related by Fabian Escalante in CIA Covert Operations: 1959 - 1962. Sturgis flew a CIA plane over Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
dropping thousands of pamphlets urging the Cuban people to overthrow the Castro regime on October 21, 1959 as part of Artime's operations. About December 1959, Manuel Artime left Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
with a hundred thousand pesos when nothing happened. Quintero moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the next month.
On June 5, 1960, The Movement for the Recovery of the Revolution or (MRR) was created by Manuel Artime
Manuel Artime
Manuel Francisco Artime Buesa, M.D. was a Cuban-American who former took part to the rebel army of Fidel Castro, later was the political leader of Brigade 2506 land forces in the abortive Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in April 1961.-Biography:Manuel Artime was the nephew of popular Cuban poet José...
, Tony Varona, Aureliano Arango, Jose Miro Cardona
José Miró Cardona
José Miró Cardona was a Cuban politician. He served as Prime Minister for a period of some six weeks in early 1959, following his appointment by President Manuel Urrutia on January 5, 1959...
and Quintero. About the same time Quintero became a member of Operation 40
Operation 40
Operation 40 was a Central Intelligence Agency-sponsored undercover operation in the early 1960s, which was active in the United States and the Caribbean , Central America, and Mexico. It was created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in March 1960, after the January 1959 Cuban Revolution, and was...
along with other anti-Castro Cubans. In 1961 Quintero secretly re-entered Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and was arrested just prior to the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
, was released and returned to the U.S.
Rafael Quintero served as deputy leader of MRR under Artime in 1962. Manuel Artime got money from the CIA through Theodore Shackley
Theodore Shackley
Theodore G. "Ted" Shackley, Jr. was an American CIA officer involved in many important and controversial CIA operations during the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the most decorated CIA officers...
in 1963. Artime, Quintero and Felix Rodriguez
Felix Rodriguez
Felix Rodriguez may refer to:* Félix Rodríguez , Major League Baseball pitcher* Félix Rodríguez , former CIA intelligence operative* Felix Rodriguez , guitar player in the Swedish band, The Sounds...
moved to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
creating an army of 300 men and obtained weapons, supplies and boats to invade Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.