Antonio Veciana

About the Author

Antonio Veciana is a former Cuban anti-communist activist and CIA operative whose life story embodies the shadowy intrigues of Cold War espionage. Born in Cuba, Veciana became a key figure in the agency's covert operations against Fidel Castro's regime, including audacious plots to assassinate the dictator and disrupt revolutionary strongholds. His experiences also intersected with pivotal events surrounding John F. Kennedy and Che Guevara, offering rare firsthand accounts of these historical flashpoints. After decades in exile, Veciana broke his silence to reveal the human cost and moral ambiguities of intelligence work. In his memoir Trained to Kill: The Inside Story of CIA Plots against Castro, Kennedy, and Che, he provides an unflinching narrative that bridges personal memoir with geopolitical thriller, shedding light on one of the 20th century's most clandestine chapters.