Manuel Ray Oral History Collection

Manuel Ray Rivero (1924- ) was an important figure in the Cuban Revolution and in the counterrevolutionary movements that followed it. From 1957 to 1959, Ray was the Secretary General of the Movimiento de Resistencia Cívica or MRC (Civic Resistance Movement) where he was in charge of action and sabotage units. He was also one of Cuba's most renowned engineers; he designed the famous and critical tunnel connecting both sides of the bay of Havana and the Havana Hilton (known as Habana Libre since 1959). Fidel Castro appointed him as the first Minister of Public Works in the 1959-1960 revolutionary government, but he only lasted in this position for a few months. He resigned from the Cabinet when Fidel Castro demanded Ray's support for the execution of Huber Matos in 1959.

Ray then became an important counterrevolutionary leader. He founded groups such as the Movimiento Revolucionario del Pueblo or MRP (Revolutionary Movement of the People) in 1960 and the Junta Revolucionaria Cubana or JURE in 1962. Although Ray had already left Cuba, through these groups he attempted to mobilize internal counterrevolutionary movements there. He operated with CIA aid, but after several failed attempts of infiltration and invasion, the CIA withdrew its support.