21 MAR 2025 · The recently declassified JFK files provide a deep dive into U.S. intelligence operations, revealing the extensive surveillance, covert operations, and political maneuvering during the Cold War. The documents highlight intelligence efforts related to Cuba, the Soviet Union, and global diplomatic establishments, shedding light on key figures, government agencies, and secret programs. Among the key individuals mentioned are Cuban intelligence operatives, U.S. government officials, and members of the FBI and CIA. Figures such as Cadete Raul Diaz Arguelles, Elpidio Baez Bigo, and Luis Manuel Cantillo Toirac are noted for their roles in Cuban affairs, while U.S. officials, including J. Edgar Hoover, Robert F. Kennedy, and Dean Rusk, played significant roles in intelligence oversight. The documents also discuss intelligence efforts concerning diplomatic establishments in Brazil, Paris, and Washington, D.C., alongside surveillance of foreign agents and informants. The files reveal the U.S. government's concerns over Soviet influence in Cuba, counterintelligence strategies, and the development of informants within diplomatic missions. They highlight operations such as AMLASH-1, a covert initiative tied to anti-Castro efforts. Surveillance programs targeting non-Soviet bloc nations, nationality group monitoring, and intelligence gathering on Soviet bloc activities in the U.S. also feature prominently. Additionally, the documents discuss FBI and CIA protocols, State Department clearance requirements, and technical surveillance methods used to monitor foreign entities. They provide insight into Cold War-era espionage, global intelligence coordination, and the intricate web of diplomatic and counterintelligence activities shaping U.S. foreign policy. These files offer a glimpse into a hidden world of espionage, political maneuvering, and covert operations—painting a broader picture of the intelligence landscape surrounding JFK’s era and the geopolitical tensions of the time.