and several CANF members having ostensibly provided them with humanitarian aid), have been accused of large-scale drug trafficking. Jose Antonio Llama According to Jose Antonio Llama, former director of the executive board of CANF, the paramilitary role of CANF was established in June 1992 during an annual congress meeting in Naples, Florida. The idea was born when a member recommended "doing more than lobbying in Washington" to overthrow the Cuban Communist government of Fidel Castro. Jorge Mas Canosa and Francisco Jose Hernandez, known as "Pepe", were selected as leaders to choose the group for armed operations. Llama has maintained that foundations general board of directors were unaware, including at the time, the board chairman Jorge Mas Santos. With the group established in 1992, the following year brought about more extensive planning, including consideration on what will need to be purchased to carry out their missions. During the 1993 meeting in Puerto Rico, Jose "Pepe" Hernandez was selected as the group's leader due to his "...known record as a fighter in the 2506 Brigade and the Marines." Llama who made a fortune installing air conditioners in Soviet vehicles, admitted in an interview with El Nuevo Herald, the plot to kill Castro and cited other members of CANF as assisting in securing items, funding and participating in the planning. Llama stated he was coming forward because CANF had stolen 1.4 million USD of his own money, between 1994 and 1997, to plan the operation which did not go forward. Llama was considering a lawsuit to recoup his money. Llamas admission came with a list of items acquired for carrying out the task of assassination, these included: a cargo helicopter, 10 ultralight radio-controlled planes, seven vessels and explosives. One of those vessels was the Midnight Express fast boat, meant to take the CANF leader at the time, Jorge Mas Canosa to Cuba if a power struggle erupted or the missions were successful. Another of those vessels was "La Esperanza" which was confiscated by the United States Department of the Treasury following the indictments of four cuban exiles plotting to assassinate Fidel Castro. The weapons and equipment cache on the yacht "La Esperanza" listed: (2) .50 caliber sniper rifles GPS equipment night-vision goggles light weight radios 12 rounds for a .357 pistol The pistol matching the .357 rounds were never discovered. One of the .50 caliber sniper rifles belonged to Francisco "Pepe" Hernandez, president of CANF. La Esperanza set sail from the private dock of an undisclosed CANF foundation member. Publications Numbered pamphlet series U.S. radio broadcasting to Cuba: policy implications Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1982 (CANF pamphlet #1) The Cuban Scene: censors & dissenters by Carlos Ripoll Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1982 (CANF pamphlet #2) Fidel Castro and the bankers: the mortgaging of a revolution by Ernesto Betancourt and Wilson Dizard Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1983 (CANF pamphlet #3) U.S. policy options in Central America by Eduardo Ulibarri Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1982 (CANF pamphlet #4) The revolution on balance by Hugh Thomas Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1983 (CANF pamphlet #5) Cuba and the Cubans by Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1983 (CANF pamphlet #7) Castro's Narcotics Trade Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1983 (CANF pamphlet #8) Thinking about Cuba: unscrambling Cuban messages Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1983 (CANF pamphlet #9) Castro, Israel & the PLO by David Kopilow Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation 1984 (CANF pamphlet #10) Cuba as a model and a challenge by Kenneth N Skoug Washington, DC: Cuban American National Foundation