Pedro Luis Díaz Lanz (July 8, 1926 in Havana, Cuba – June 26, 2008 Miami, U.S.) was Chief of the Revolutionary Air Force of Cuba under Fidel Castro, before and after the 1959 Cuban Revolution. He is great-grandson of a sister of the Cuban national hero José Martí.
In 1957, Pedro Díaz Lanz joined Fidel Castro's rebel group in Santiago, Cuba. He was employed as a commercial pilot with the airline Aerovías Q. He later acted as head of the Revolutionary Air Force, and during 1958 he smuggled weapons and ammunition from Costa Rica and Florida into Cuba by air.[1]
After the Cuban Revolution on 1 January 1959, he was confirmed as head of the new Revolutionary Air Force as well as Castro's personal pilot. Within months, he became vocal about his opposition to the influence of communists on the new revolutionary government. On 29 June 1959, Fidel Castro relieved him of his post, and he left immediately by boat for Florida with his second wife and 3 of his six children, and reportedly with Frank Sturgis, a fellow anti-communist.[2]
Life after Cubaedit
On 14 July 1959, Díaz was interviewed by the US Senate Internal Security subcommittee, where he gave out the first account of Fidel's planned move towards communism.[2]
On 21 October 1959 he carried out one of his most notorious acts, flying a twin-engined bomber (variously reported as a B-25 or B-26) over Havana while dropping anti-communist leaflets, along with his brother Marcos Diaz Lanz. Pedro Diaz Lanz piloted and Marcos Diaz Lanz threw the leaflets down from an open bomb hatch. The unsuccessful gunfire from armed forces on the ground caused injuries and deaths, leading to unsubstantiated reports of bombs being dropped from the aircraft.[1][2]
By April 1960, he was recruited by the CIA and became a member of Operation 40, a group of CIA operatives who specialized in carrying out secret anti-Castro assassinations and acts of sabotage.[2] Then on May 27 of 1960, the Miami Herald published a list of names of pilots who were placed on a U.S. Government 'Blacklist' thereby prohibiting them from flying to Cuba; on that list was Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz.[3]
Díaz committed suicide with a gunshot wound to the chest in 2008 at the age of 81 after years of poverty and depression.[4]
Notesedit
^ abThomas, Hugh. 1971, 1986. The Cuban Revolution. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. London. (Shortened version of Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom, includes all history 1952-1970) ISBN0-297-78954-6
WILFREDO CANCIO ISLA. Se suicida legendario piloto anticastrista. El Nuevo Herald June 28, 2008.
April 15, 2024
pedro, luis, díaz, lanz, july, 1926, havana, cuba, june, 2008, miami, chief, revolutionary, force, cuba, under, fidel, castro, before, after, 1959, cuban, revolution, great, grandson, sister, cuban, national, hero, josé, martí, contents, life, cuba, life, afte. Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz July 8 1926 in Havana Cuba June 26 2008 Miami U S was Chief of the Revolutionary Air Force of Cuba under Fidel Castro before and after the 1959 Cuban Revolution He is great grandson of a sister of the Cuban national hero Jose Marti Contents 1 Life in Cuba 2 Life after Cuba 3 Notes 4 See also 5 External linksLife in Cuba editIn 1957 Pedro Diaz Lanz joined Fidel Castro s rebel group in Santiago Cuba He was employed as a commercial pilot with the airline Aerovias Q He later acted as head of the Revolutionary Air Force and during 1958 he smuggled weapons and ammunition from Costa Rica and Florida into Cuba by air 1 After the Cuban Revolution on 1 January 1959 he was confirmed as head of the new Revolutionary Air Force as well as Castro s personal pilot Within months he became vocal about his opposition to the influence of communists on the new revolutionary government On 29 June 1959 Fidel Castro relieved him of his post and he left immediately by boat for Florida with his second wife and 3 of his six children and reportedly with Frank Sturgis a fellow anti communist 2 Life after Cuba editOn 14 July 1959 Diaz was interviewed by the US Senate Internal Security subcommittee where he gave out the first account of Fidel s planned move towards communism 2 On 21 October 1959 he carried out one of his most notorious acts flying a twin engined bomber variously reported as a B 25 or B 26 over Havana while dropping anti communist leaflets along with his brother Marcos Diaz Lanz Pedro Diaz Lanz piloted and Marcos Diaz Lanz threw the leaflets down from an open bomb hatch The unsuccessful gunfire from armed forces on the ground caused injuries and deaths leading to unsubstantiated reports of bombs being dropped from the aircraft 1 2 By April 1960 he was recruited by the CIA and became a member of Operation 40 a group of CIA operatives who specialized in carrying out secret anti Castro assassinations and acts of sabotage 2 Then on May 27 of 1960 the Miami Herald published a list of names of pilots who were placed on a U S Government Blacklist thereby prohibiting them from flying to Cuba on that list was Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz 3 Diaz committed suicide with a gunshot wound to the chest in 2008 at the age of 81 after years of poverty and depression 4 Notes edit a b Thomas Hugh 1971 1986 The Cuban Revolution Weidenfeld and Nicolson London Shortened version of Cuba The Pursuit of Freedom includes all history 1952 1970 ISBN 0 297 78954 6 a b c d Szulc Tad 1986 Fidel A Critical Portrait Hutchinson ISBN 0 09 172602 6 Pilots on Government Blacklist 1960 for flying to Cuba El Nuevo Herald 2008 See also editManuel ArtimeExternal links editJudiciary Hearings of Communist Threats to America Through the Caribbean TIME Magazine Towards Dictatorship The Political End of President Urrutia WILFREDO CANCIO ISLA Se suicida legendario piloto anticastrista El Nuevo Herald June 28 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz amp oldid 1163094538, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
