Zone d'identification
Nom et localisation du dépôt
Niveau de description
Collection
Titre
Alpha 66 Records
Date(s)
- n.d., 1958-2003 (Production)
- 1963-1985 (Production)
Importance matérielle
29 Boxes
Nom du producteur
Notice biographique
The Cuban exile paramilitary organization known as Alpha 66 was first organized and founded in Puerto Rico in 1961 with 66 men. The group was created with the intention of maintaining the fighting spirit of the Cuban people after the Bay of Pigs Invasion. General Secretary Andrés Nazario Sargén was a founder of Alpha 66 along with other prominent anti-communist fighters such as his older brother Aurelio Nazario, Eloy Gutiérrez Menoyo and Antonio Veciana.
Other organizations joined this armed struggle against Cuban communism, and thus began the first movements and incursions into the Cuban coast. In 1962, the Second Escambray Front (Segundo Frente del Escambray – SFE) and Alpha 66 became one, with Veciana as a coordinator and Gutiérrez Menoyo in charge of the military training. Later, Alpha 66 joined forces with the Revolutionary Movement of the People (Movimiento Revolucionario del Pueblo – MRP) in the Revolutionary Alliance (Alianza Revolucionaria).
In 1964, the Revolutionary Alliance executed “Plan Omega” that involved situating a well-equipped guerrilla force inside Cuba. Delegations from California, Florida, New York, Puerto Rico and Venezuela assembled a War Council carrying out propaganda and finance operations with the slogan, “El Plan Omega está en marcha” (“The Omega Plan is in motion”). The central goal was to overthrow the Castro regime in Cuba.
“El Plan Omega” failed, and Ernesto Díaz, Pedro Rodríguez, and Eloy Gutiérrez Menoyo, were captured along with three other Alpha officers: Domingo Ortega, Ramón Quesada Gómez, and Noel Salas Santos. After their capture, broadcast and propaganda campaigns were launched to gain release for these political prisoners. Their failure and imprisonment affected many of the rebel groups in Cuba and the Cuban exile community as a whole. The previously fiery enthusiasm diminished, and the Revolutionary Alliance split up, reduced once again to merely The Second Escambray Front and Alpha 66.
In 1965 El Correo, Alpha 66’s bulletin, announced that the new commander in chief would be Dr. Armando Fleites Díaz, who was dedicated to continuing the fight and rebuilding military strength. The renewed force initiated new paramilitary campaigns and fundraising for ships and military and radio equipment. Alpha 66 persisted in organizing and executing military operations, sabotages, and creating clandestine cells on the island. Many officers and members were killed during these infiltrations. In 1970 Coronel Vicente Méndez died in combat, and Aurelio Nazario was captured and executed.
After the 1970s, Alpha 66 restructured its underground network. New members were recruited and political activities implemented. The organization established the “Plan Máximo Gómez” in 1980 to promote internal destabilization in Cuba. As of 2010, Alpha 66 continued to operate from its headquarters in Miami, continuing to advocate for an armed civil uprising in Cuba.
Zone du contenu et de la structure
Portée et contenu
The Alpha 66 Records document the political, propaganda, paramilitary, and administrative activities of the organization as collected by Andrés Nazario Sargén, one of it's founders and longtime leaders. The Records include correspondence, circular letters, financial records, clippings, maps, photographs, press releases, proclamations, programs, propaganda, and reports.
Mode de classement
The Alpha 66 Records are organized into five series. Please see the "Detailed Description" and "Box and Folder Listing" sections for more information.
Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation
Conditions d'accès
This collection is open for research. Access to Boxes 19 and 20 is restricted until 2038.
Accès physique
Accès technique
Conditions de reproduction
Requests to publish or display materials from this collection require written permission from the rights owner. Please, contact chc@miami.edu for more information.
Preferred citation: Alpha 66 Records, Cuban Heritage Collection, University of Miami Libraries, Coral Gables, Florida.
Langue des documents
- espagnol
Écriture des documents
Notes de langue et graphie
Instruments de recherche
Générer l'instrument de recherche
Éléments d'acquisition et d'évaluation
Historique de la conservation
Source immédiate d'acquisition
Gift of Andrés Nazario Sargén, 2004.
Évaluation, élimination et calendrier de conservation
Accroissements
Materials added by gift of Olga Nazario, 2005.
Sources complémentaires
Existence et lieu de conservation des originaux
Existence et lieu de conservation des copies
Sources complémentaires
Pamphlets and periodicals were separated from the Records for cataloging. Inquire at the Cuban Heritage Collection Reading Room desk or to chc@miami.edu for more information. Periodical titles include:
Alpha 66 1981-1982
Alpha 66: Boletín para Cuba n.d., 1975, 1977
Alpha 66: Cuadernos políticos No. 1
Alpha: Organo Oficial de Alpha 66, 1979
Alpha 66: News Bulletin. Juventud de Alpha 66, 1972
Antorcha: Buro Estudiantil de la Alianza Revolucionaria 1963-1964
Boletín “El Correo”
El Combate: Delegación San Juan, Puerto Rico n.d., 1972
El Combatiente: Organo oficial del Alpha 66. Delegación de New York, n.d.
Entrega Semanal: Alianza Revolucionaria. Delegaciones Venezuela, 1963-1964
El Grito de Intransigencia (Comisión Unitaria Básica de Acción, Alianza Revolucionaria, Alpha 66)
El Mensaje: Organo Oficial de Alpha 66 para Cuba, 1979
News from Cuba: Alianza Revolucionaria, n.d., 1963-1964
Organo Oficial de las delegaciones del Norte del Alpha 66
Patrocinadores de la Libertad Alpha 66 n.d.
Resurgir/ Delegación Santa Clara, Ca. , 1977- 1978
Retaguardia: Sección Femenina, Alianza Revolucionaria, 1964
Descriptions associées
Élément de notes
Note générale
Other Information:
This collection was processed with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
Notes spécialisées
Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)
Zone du contrôle de la description
Règles ou conventions
Sources utilisées
Note de l'archiviste
Processed by Duvy Argandoña with the assistance of Antonio Mestre, 2008. Finding aid updated and entered into Archon by María R. Estorino, November 2010. Finding aid subject terms assigned by Ana D. Rodríguez, January 2013. Container list added from legacy PDF, February 2014. Updated by Rebeca Gonzalez, May 2021.
Mots-clés
Mots-clés - Sujets
Mots-clés - Lieux
Mots-clés - Noms
- Alpha 66 (Organization) (Sujet)