US Planned To Assassinate Fidel Castro's Brother Raul In 1960: Declassified Documents

The plot came to light as Raul Castro prepares to leave Cuban politics by stepping down as head of the all-powerful Community Party of Cuba.

The CIA made its first known attempt to assassinate a leader of the Cuban revolution in 1960, offering $10,000 to a pilot flying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana to arrange an "accident," according to declassified documents published Friday. Pilot Jose Raul Martinez, who had been recruited by the CIA, asked for -- and received -- assurance from the agency that it would provide university educations to his two sons if he died during the operation, according to the documents published by the Washington-based National Security Archive research institute. After Martinez left for Prague, CIA headquarters in the United States told its Havana station to cancel the mission. "Do not pursue," the cable said. "Would like to drop matter."