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April 5, 1963

From the Journal of A.I. Alekseyev, 'Record of a Conversation with Fidel Castro Ruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, 7 March 1963'

Alekseyev delivers a letter from Khrushchev, and Fidel Castro promises to choose a date for his visit to the Soviet Union.

April 3, 1963

From the Journal of A.I. Alekseyev, 'Record of a Conversation with Fidel Castro Ruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, 28 February 1963'

Fidel Castro praises recent CPSU CC letters and a report that Soviet military equipment will remain in Cuba, and Alekseyev informs him of a tense interaction with the PRC ambassador and of an upcoming public report of the withdrawal of Soviet military specialists.

March 23, 1963

From the Journal of A.I. Alekseyev, 'Record of a Conversation with Fidel Castro Ruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, 15 January 1963'

Alekseyev describes a conversation with Fidel Castro regarding military and trade negotiations, prospects for Kennedy's policy toward Cuba, and a harsh letter from Khrushchev.

January 28, 1963

Hungarian Embassy in Havana (Beck), Report on Soviet Deputy Foreign Ministry Vasily Kuznetsov

Hungarian Ambassador to Cuba János Beck recounts an evening at the Soviet ambassador’s home with other socialist ambassadors to Cuba. Soviet functionary Kuznetsov reported on deliberations between the Soviet Union and United States on the Cuban Missile Crisis and nuclear issues. Beck also describes events that Kuznetsov attended while visiting Cuba, not all welcoming. Kuznetsov met with Castro while in Cuba and addressed the crisis among other problems.

July 24, 1963

Letter from Dutch Embassy, Havana (Boissevain), 24 July 1963

Boissevain reports on Fidel Castro. During a banquet held by the Egyptian ambassador, Castro speaks to Swiss Ambassador Masset of a decision to nationalize the former building of the U.S. embassy, currently in use by the Swiss embassy acting as U.S. representatives. Castro is noted as having "the air of one who is boasting to a trusted friend about how he has crossed an opponent." Boissevain thinks it best to keep on Castro's good side and requests an illustrated work of the Netherlands to be sent as a gesture of goodwill.

November 2, 1962

Ciphered Telegram from Ambassador to Cuba Alekseev to the Central Committee for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

The telegram bears on the circumstances surrounding Fidel Castro's controversial 27 October letter to Khrushchev. Alekseev describes Castro's demeanor as being irritated and paranoid at the time of writing the letter. He provides background on Castro's actions and attitudes at the peak of the crisis, and especially his nocturnal visit to the Soviet embassy and preparation of his letter to Khrushchev on the night of 26-27 October. He advises Moscow on how to handle the Cuban leader, and offers analysis into the emotions and overall mood of Castro and his associates at that moment in the crisis.

October 23, 1962

Ciphered Telegram from Soviet Ambassador to Cuba Aleksandr Alekseev

A report on Alekseev's 23 October 1962 conversation with Fidel Castro, together with two members of the Cuban leadership, the day after the public crisis began. Presented with official Soviet statements on the crisis, Castro reviews the situation and confidently vows defiance to the US "aggression," which he claimed was doomed to failure.