Raúl Álzaga speaks: It’s a game of “cat and mouse” (+Español)
From the Puerto Rican newspaper Claridad.
Raúl Álzaga Manresa described the request made by Democratic Congresswomen Nydia Velázquez and Alexandra Ocasio to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to declassify all information related to the murders of young Carlos Muñiz Varela and Santiago Mari Pesquera, in 1979 and 1976 respectively, as a game of cat and mouse. ‘
The congresswomen’s request was released on February 13. Among other points, the letter states that “Solving cases like those of Carlos and Santiago is essential for the United States to confront and close a damaging chapter in its history. Its agencies must actively support the collection of evidence that helps identify and prosecute those responsible for these crimes. Only this course of action will bring truth and justice to the families of these young people whose lives were tragically stolen for political reasons.” Additionally, the declassification requests that the Puerto Rican Department of Justice (DJ) be authorized to interview federal agents who were operating on the island at the time of the murders.
Santiago Mari Pesquera, the young son of pro-independence leader Juan Mari Brás, was murdered on March 24, 1976, at the age of 23. Muñiz Varela, the son of Cuban parents, founded the Varadero travel agency with Álzaga Manresa to facilitate connections between Cuban families in Puerto Rico and their relatives in Cuba. He was murdered on April 28, 1979.
In an interview with this publication, Álzaga Manresa stated that the Committee of Friends of Muñiz Varela has made several efforts to demand declassification from 1983 to 2010, with the most fruitful one to date being that of 2010. For over a year and a half, they have resumed their efforts through various means, including support from the congresswomen, to request the declassification of the documents since some of the suspects have already died. This request, now in the fourth stage of these appeals, is described as a game of cat and mouse.
“I consider it a game of cat and mouse between the Committee and the FBI, as, although we have managed to uncover some valuable information that confirms many points, we remain unsatisfied with the results. Above all, because we have an idea of what they possess; therefore, when we request information, we can compare what they tell us or provide us against what we already know.” He noted that due to prior declassifications and information obtained through various means, he stated that this fourth stage “is the game of cat and mouse,” he reiterated.
In 2005, the Center for National Security at Georgetown University requested the declassification of information related to Cuba, and they are currently helping with another series of requests.
Muñiz Varela’s colleague did not ignore that former Puerto Rican congressmen Luis Gutiérrez and José Serrano also made the same request.
In light of the documents already delivered, Álzaga Manresa believes there is still much information to be uncovered. In fact, he stated that at this stage, there is information they had from 1979, including reports written by the FBI of Puerto Rico, as well as information from that time that the DJ of Puerto Rico already possessed. In this regard, he denounced that in the first four requests, the DJ did nothing because it was covering up the Cerro Maravilla murders (July 25, 1978). Thus, obtaining any attention for the Muñiz Varela case until 1984 from the Department of Justice was fruitless.
“There are reasons to believe that the DJ delayed and caused people to forget about the case during those four years from ’79 to ’84,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that certain secretaries, such as César Miranda and Roberto Sánchez Ramos, dedicated effort to the investigation, even though their actions were based on information provided by the Committee. Concerning the recently departed Domingo Emmanuelli, he noted that the last meeting took place in April 2024, during which Emmanuelli stated there was no evidence to accuse anyone. According to Álzaga Manresa, the DJ was reluctant to pressure the FBI for information and even revealed that the department sent a letter requesting the declassification of certain details, which the FBI director, now Police Commissioner Joseph González, refused to disclose.
“On all occasions when information has been requested at all levels,” Álzaga Manresa noted, “the FBI’s first reaction has been to deny the information. Their primary argument is that an executive order is needed — in other words, that an order must be received from the President — to disclose these matters, along with other excuses, such as their inability to reveal sources or informants. ”
According to Álzaga, one of the requests made to the FBI and CIA is based on existing information regarding approximately four informants within the terrorist groups operating in Puerto Rico. He further stated that the FBI in Puerto Rico prepared a report, which was shared with other federal agencies and led to “a big fight,” as the FBI in the U.S. felt that it jeopardized the safety of the informants. The personnel who created the report faced sanctions. “The Committee possesses that document, which is why we know these informants existed. Additionally, other documents indicate the number of informants that the FBI had.”
He states that the actions taken by the FBI in San Juan regarding these right-wing terrorist groups, particularly those of Cuban origin, have been to control rather than to prosecute or accuse them. However, these same terrorists have also struck on American soil, as evidenced by the assassination of the Chilean ambassador Orlando Letelier and others.
Beyond identifying those responsible for the murders of Muñiz Varela and Mari Pesquera, he noted that documents obtained show the FBI had, as early as the end of January 1975, three names of suspects related to the attack in Mayagüez. This refers to the attack on January 11, 1975, during a public event of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, where two people died and about ten were injured. Neither the FBI nor the DJ took any action to investigate this incident.
Regarding the congresswomen’s request, Álzaga Manresa contextualized a series of interesting situations that have arisen in recent months, which may contribute to shaping a favorable opinion on this issue. He pointed out that Malcolm X’s family filed a lawsuit last November against the FBI and the New York Police Department, raising concerns about the involvement of both agencies in enabling the murder, obstructing the investigation, and wrongly accusing individuals who were not the murderers. He considered that the course and outcome of this lawsuit will be significant. If it succeeds, he believes it could pave the way for the Muñiz Varela and Mari Pesquera cases in the future, should the current petition be denied.
Another relevant fact is President Trump’s order this January for the CIA to declassify documents related to the assassination of President Kennedy (November 1965). “That is another important issue; regardless of whether we are sure what they are going to declassify, how many documents they destroyed, or how many are still kept secret, it is still positive. If you consider Malcolm X’s demand, along with the actions of congressmen from Texas and California, who discuss the CIA and the FBI pursuing people in Puerto Rico until the 1950s, there exists a series of events that I believe contribute to fostering a favorable opinion on that issue.”
In light of the above, Álzaga Manresa believes that we are at a higher stage with greater possibilities, particularly in the case of Mari Pesquera. He stated that he has an advantage over Muñiz Varela’s case because the latter is nearing the 50-year mark since his murder. It is assumed that in situations being investigated after more than 50 years, selectivity no longer applies. In Muñiz Varela’s case, we would have to wait until 2029. “We hope that we do not have to reach that date; that would be the worst outcome.” He pointed out a challenge regarding the DJ, as if he truly intended to conduct a deeper investigation, he would need access to the information held by the FBI and permission to interview FBI agents in Puerto Rico from that time period.
For her part, Mari Mari Narváez, sister of Mari Pesquera, expressed in written statements that 49 years after her brother’s murder, countless questions remain unanswered. “The violence of that crime persists, reinforced by the impunity protecting those responsible. Why did the FBI know of a plot to assassinate Juan Mari Brás in November 1976, and just two months later, his son was executed? What connection exists between these two conspiracies, and what role did the FBI and CIA play in them? Why, after nearly 50 years, have classified documents still not been released? Why have the masterminds behind this crime never faced justice? Our father often spoke of the relentless and brutal repression he encountered at the hands of the U.S. government and its proxies in Puerto Rico. But the people of Puerto Rico deserve to know the truth. They deserve to recognize the immense damage that colonialism has inflicted and continues to inflict. The murder of our brother Chagui and the half-century cover-up that followed serve as undeniable proof.
Meanwhile, on the same day that Congresswomen Velázquez and Ocasio’s letter was released, the Senate of Puerto Rico approved a resolution presented by Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz with the same request.
