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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 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.

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.

March 11, 1976

Minutes of the Meeting between Todor Zhivkov and Fidel Castro in Sofia

Conversation for the record between Zhivkov and Castro during a four-day-long state visit of the Cuban leader to Bulgaria. Among the main issues discussed was the state of economic development in both countries, their relations with Albania, China, Romania and Yugoslavia; the Cuban foreign policy in Africa and the Caribbean; the civil war in Angola; the battle for the Third World.

November 9, 1982

Information from the Bulgarian Communist Party Regarding the visit of the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Honduras – Rigoberto Padilla

Summary of recent developments in the formation of a unified leftist movement in Honduras lead by the country’s communist party, in an attempt to counter the “imperial” influence of the USA. The text suggests that various pro-communist movements within Central Latin America have formed, and have started to cooperate with the intent to create a network. The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) have played most prominent role in this endeavor. The Honduras Communist party has worked internally in the direction of creating a strong consolidated left wing movement. The document mentions future plans for mutual cooperation between the Bulgarian Communist Party and the Honduras Communist Party.