Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Senora Duran’s Testimony on Oswald’s Embassy Visits

Senora Duran’s Testimony on Oswald’s Embassy Visits Senora Silvia Tirado de Duran, a 26-year-old Mexican national employed in the Cuban Embassy visa section, provided critical testimony about Oswald’s visits to Mexican authorities shortly after the assassination. She recalled Oswald came to the Cuban Consulate in late September or early October 1963 to apply for an in-transit visa to Cuba en route to Russia, presenting his passport, Russian-language labor card, Russian letters, proof of his marriage to a Russian woman, and claims of leadership of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. She informally contacted the Soviet consulate to try to expedite Oswald’s Soviet visa, but was told there would be a 4-month processing delay. When Oswald learned he could not get a Cuban visa without a Soviet visa, he became very angry and argued with Consul Azcue. Duran gave Oswald a slip of paper with her name and the consulate’s phone number, and his visa application was forwarded to the Cuban Foreign Ministry, which sent a routine reply 15 to 30 days later approving the visa only on the condition he first obtained a Soviet visa. Duran could not recall if Oswald later contacted her at the consulate. While Duran and her husband have far-left political leanings and sympathize with the Castro government, no significant inaccuracies have been found in her statements, and documents matching her description of Oswald’s submitted materials were found in his possessions after his arrest.

Verification of Testimony and Trip Details