SWEET SABOTAGE: CIA’s secret war on Soviet sugar revealed in JFK files
By willowt // 2025-03-25
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  • The CIA contaminated 800 bags of Cuban sugar bound for the USSR in 1962, using a denaturing agent to make it bitter and inedible—without harming health—as part of Cold War economic warfare.
  • The sabotage was part of a broader CIA campaign (Operation Mongoose) to destabilize Castro’s regime after the U.S. embargo cut Cuba off from its primary sugar market.
  • The operation aimed to undermine Soviet-Cuban trade, though its success remains unconfirmed due to lack of Soviet records.
  • The tactic mirrors today’s economic sanctions and financial warfare against adversaries like Russia and China, highlighting the enduring role of covert economic strategies.
  • The declassified documents reveal Cold War espionage tactics and domestic surveillance, sparking debates over government secrecy and the public’s right to know.
The Cold War was fought not only with nuclear threats and proxy conflicts but also with clandestine operations designed to undermine the enemy’s economy and morale. A newly declassified document from the John F. Kennedy assassination files reveals one such bizarre scheme: the CIA’s covert mission to contaminate Soviet-bound Cuban sugar in 1962, just months before the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The operation, uncovered by journalist Ben Norton and the Washington Post, exposes the lengths to which American intelligence was willing to go to weaken the Soviet Union—not through direct military confrontation, but through economic sabotage and psychological warfare.

A covert economic strike

In August 1962, the CIA learned that a Cuban cargo ship carrying 80,000 bags of brown sugar — each weighing 200 pounds — was en route to the USSR. The vessel was scheduled to make a brief stop in Puerto Rico for minor repairs, requiring part of its cargo to be offloaded. Seizing the opportunity, the CIA launched a clandestine operation to taint the shipment. “Through a clandestine operation, which was not detected and is not traceable, we were able to contaminate 800 of these bags of sugar,” a declassified memo to General Edward Lansdale, then the Pentagon’s deputy assistant secretary for special operations, revealed. The chemical used was reportedly a denaturing agent, strong enough to render the entire shipment “unfit for human or animal consumption in any form.” The goal was not to poison Soviet citizens but to make their food unpalatable. “The contaminate we used will give the sugar an ineradicable sickly bitter taste, which no process will remove,” the document stated, assuring that it was “not in any sense dangerous to health.” The CIA believed the spoiled sugar would “ruin the taste of the consumer for any food or drink for a considerable time.” Financially, the operation was expected to cost the Soviet Union between 350,000 and 400,000 — a significant sum at the time. Whether the plan succeeded remains unclear, as Soviet records have yet to confirm the fate of the shipment.

Cold War context: Why this matters today

This revelation underscores the shadowy economic warfare tactics employed during the Cold War—tactics that resonate in today’s geopolitical struggles. The U.S. embargo on Cuban sugar, imposed in 1960 after Fidel Castro’s revolution, was already a major economic blow to the island. When the USSR stepped in as Cuba’s primary sugar buyer, the CIA sought to disrupt that lifeline. The operation was part of Operation Mongoose, a broader CIA campaign to destabilize Castro’s regime. Other declassified JFK files detail additional clandestine efforts, including election meddling in Bolivia, wiretapping in Mexico and even spying on American journalists. The parallels to modern-day tensions are striking. Just as the U.S. once sought to undermine Soviet trade, today’s economic sanctions against Russia, China and other adversaries reflect a continuation of financial warfare—albeit in more transparent forms.

A legacy of secrecy—and a call for transparency

The release of these documents under the Trump and Biden administrations highlights the ongoing tension between national security and government transparency. While some officials argued for continued secrecy to protect intelligence methods, the public’s right to know prevailed—at least in this case. Larry Schnapf, an attorney who pushed for the documents’ release, noted that the declassification exposes how “the term [classified] has been abused.” Indeed, the files reveal not just Cold War espionage but also the CIA’s domestic surveillance of journalists, including Washington Post reporter Michael Getler.

Lessons from the sugar plot

The CIA’s sugar sabotage may seem like a relic of the past, but it serves as a reminder of the lengths intelligence agencies will go to wage silent wars. In an era where economic sanctions, cyber warfare and disinformation campaigns dominate global conflict, understanding these historical tactics is crucial. As more JFK files come to light, they reinforce the need for vigilance against government overreach—while also acknowledging the complex realities of national security. The Cold War’s shadow still looms, and its lessons remain relevant in an age where the battles are fought not just with bullets, but with bytes—and even bags of sugar. Sources include: RT.com WashingtonPost.com TheNation.com
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