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March 17, 2025 40 mins

This week's guest is Frank Villafana. Frank was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the United States after graduating high school to attend the University of Alabama, where he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in engineering. He spent the next three decades working in various positions in the field of engineering before retiring in 1998. Afterwards, he devoted himself to writing and is now the author of 10 books, primarily dealing with Cuban history and themes.  Today he's here discuss the story of the little known Makassi operation, which saw Cuban exiles and veterans of the Bay of Pigs invasion fighting for their freedom in an unconventional war against Simba rebels in the Congo, where they eventually crossed paths with deployed Cuban soldiers led by Che Guevara himself. 


Connect with Frank:

Check out the book, Cold War in the Congo, here.

https://a.co/d/hNQeVty


Connect with Spycraft 101:
Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.
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IG: @spycraft101
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Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.
Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.
Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.

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