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Documents

August 15, 1968

Information from Bulgarian Ambassador in Havana Stefan Petrov to Bulgarian Leader Todor Zhivkov on the Domestic and Foreign Policy of Cuba

Bulgarian Ambassador to Cuba Stefan Petrov analyzes Cuba’s domestic and foreign policies in an informational report to Bulgarian leader Todor Zhivkov. Petrov criticizes Cuban Communist Party policies and claims they are incompatible with Marxism-Leninism (e.g. Cuba’s focus on conflict between imperialism and national liberation rather than socialism and capitalism). Cuba has adopted an anti-Soviet attitude and believes Cuban leadership is the vanguard of communism. Petrov reviews Cuba’s conflicting relations with Latin American communist parties and Cuba's support to guerilla movements in the region. Petrov notes that Bulgarian-Cuban relations remain positive.

October 5, 1967

Bulgarian Communist Party Politburo Meeting Regarding Bulgarian-Cuban Relations

In a memorandum to the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party Politburo, Gero Grozev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, critiques the Cuban Communist Party and its approach to building socialism. Grozev describes Cuba’s increasingly poor relations with European communist parties, interference in Latin American affairs, and misunderstanding of Marxist-Leninist principles. Grozev continues describing Cuban leaders as committed functionaries unaware of their mistakes. To correct Cuba’s mistakes socialist countries should increase contact with the Cuban government and help it develop economically and mature politically.

March 31, 1966

Embassy, Havana, Report on the State of the Cuban Communist Party

In a report on the Cuban Communist Party, Bulgarian Embassy counselor S. Cohen discusses strengths and concerns with the Cuban goverment. The Cuban revolutionary movement debunked the theory of geographically determined fatalism, but also displays a strong dependence on the Latin American liberation movement (e.g. Jose Mari, Simon Bolivar) for inspiration instead of socialist principles. Cohen reports negative developments including the Cuban government’s growing ambition to rule the Third World revolutionary movement and strong belief in the Cuban armed struggle as a template for all national liberation movements. The Cuban delegation strongly endorsed armed struggle as the only means of socialist advancement at the Tricontinental Conference recently held in Havana. Bulgaria must remain close with the Cuban government to help it develop economically and mature politically.

March 3, 1965

Bulgarian Embassy, Havana (Kulbov), Information Regarding The Latin American Communist Parties’ Conference

First Secretary of the Bulgarian Embassy to Cuba A. Hubenov describes a Latin American communist party conference held in Havana, November 1964. The parties secretly discussed their struggle against imperialism and the expansion of communist revolutions in Latin America and Cuba's assistance to that struggle. Conference deliberations included a discussion of the Sino-Soviet split and the fear of factions within the communist movement.

June 16, 1960

Report of the Governmental Delegation Visiting Argentina and Cuba

The document includes excerpts from a Bulgarian delegation's report on their visit to Latin America in 1960. The excerpt covers the delegation's visit to Cuba.

Avramova and Agnelov report Cuba's desire to establish diplomatic and cultural relations with Bulgaria. Cuba's interest paramountly involve trade. Avramova and Angelov summarize meetings with important government officials, particulalry Ernesto Guevara, head of the National Bank, and Raul Castro, Minister of Armed Forces. Topics include: the development of the revolution against the Batista government, post-Batista power struggles, geographical fatalism and US influence, Cuba's challenges (e.g. illiteracy, the lack of specialists), land and agricultural reform, construction, industrialization. The delegation recommends the establishment of official relations with Cuba and an invitation for Raul Castro to visit Bulgaria.

November 28, 1978

Information on the Developments in Nicaragua

Report which outlines the activity of leftist opposition movements in Nicaragua in their attempt to overthrow the rule of Somoza. The text gives an account of the support which various leftist opposition organizations have received from neighboring countries. According to the information, the following groups have overtly expressed discontent with the ruling regime: The Democratic Union for Liberation, the “Group of Twelve,” the Nicaraguan Democratic Movement, and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Those movements have been supported politically, financially, and in some instances with military aid, by the governments of Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and Cuba. The text suggests that two factors have contributed to the escalating tension in Nicaragua – the internal struggle against the regime combined with pressures from outside, coming mainly from the USA, to keep the regime in place.

August 15, 1968

Report from the Bulgarian Ambassador in Havana, Stefan Petrov to Todor Zhivkov on the Domestic and Foreign Policy of Cuba

The ambassador gives an assessment of the Cuban domestic and foreign policy. He characterizes Fidel Castro as an adventurer and points to certain communist party decisions that are incompatible with the Marxist-Leninist doctrine.

April 9, 1979

Memorandum of Todor Zhivkov – Fidel Castro Conversation, Havana

Memorandum of a discussion of the future of socialism in Latin America. Castro expects that the social instability of the region will lead to increased socialist influence and revolutionary movements, specifically in Nicaragua and Grenada. He cites two difficulties in his quest to help the Latin American revolutionary forces: his weapons stockpile is running low, and he has agreed to not transfer Soviet weapons to other countries.

January 3, 1981

Information on the Meeting with the Delegation of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front of El Salvador (FMLN)

A summary which outlines the main points of discussion raised during a meeting that has taken place on 17 December 1980 in Havana between members of the Bulgarian Communist Party and representatives of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). The document details the plans of FMLN to proceed with organized political and military action against the current regime in El Salvador. According to the text, the FMLN intends to establish a temporary government of the "Democratic-revolutionary Front" which would propose a cease fire and would support negotiations as an alternative to a complete military victory over the regime.

December 2, 1961

Top Secret Bulgarian Politburo Resolution on Arms Delivery to Cuba

A proposal from the Minister of Foreign Trade, G. Kambuliev, for the donation to Cuba of 35,000 automatic rifles, recently decommissioned by the Bulgarian military.

Pagination