"[4] Benitez's father was Manuel Benítez y González, a former Machadista (follower of Gerardo Machado) and soldier in the Cuban Liberation Army who helped purge the Spanish Empire from Cuba, and later a journalist for the Havana newspaper La Discusión.

[4] It has been written that "Tenía una suerte loca con las mujeres," which is translated to read: "He had crazy luck with women.

[4] In 1933, Benitez - son of the prominent Machadista - was in the Cuban Machado Army as a Second lieutenant, and was sent to the training camp of Columbia, in Havana.

Benitez stood up, tore off his officer's rank, and declared his allegiance to the movement, demanding a demotion to Sergeant in the process.

[4] Under the presidency of Federico Laredo Brú, González then served as the director general of Immigration, and was a welcome recipient of Jewish refugees from Europe.

In 1939, González sold forged permits to German Jewish refugees for 150 dollars each, allowing them to enter the country for sanctuary and asylum.

[6] This scandal by the palace eventually forced the entire transatlantic ship MS St. Louis to return to Europe with over 900 Jews on board, after having been anchored in Havana for a full week.

[4] In February 1941, Batista replaced the National Chief of Police Lt Col. Bernardo Garcia with Benitez, without consulting the head of the Army, Colonel José Eleuterio Pedraza.

[10][11] This series of events created a major schism in the government, and resulted in an attempted coup by Colonel Pedraza, Chief García, and Captain Angel González (Head of the Navy of the Republic of Cuba).

[12] FBN Agent Follmer wrote of the situation at the end of 1942: “As the result of inefficiency and corruption, past and present, in the national police, all of the vices known to modern civilization have prospered for many years in Cuba.

At present, just as in the recent past, the major criminal conduct in Cuba revolves around assassination, gambling, prostitution, and an extensive traffic in marijuana and narcotic drugs.”[12]The FBN and its Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger were also keenly aware at this time that criminal narcotics trafficking syndicates like Unione Corse, the Sicilian Mafia, and gangsters like Lucky Luciano were using Cuba as a major distribution hub into the United States from Europe.

Corruption has never before been so rampant, so organized, or so profitable for those at the top.”[12] Benitez also used his connections to ensure that the Tropicana Club remained open despite complaints of excessive noise and illegal gambling by the Colegio de Belén, which was run by the Jesuits.

[16] He said; "Senior Ian, first we must make a credential for you; next, you must learn something of good eating and drinking places in La Habana; and, next, you must see and try some, at least one, of our Cuban girls.

[17] In 1946, Grau allowed Benitez to return to Cuba to visit his father who was terminally ill from chronic kidney failure, complicated by liver and heart problems.

[5] Other failed conspiracies with the same aim include the Cepillo de Dientes (Toothbrush), and the Mulo Muerto (Dead Mule).

[4] As part of The Black Cloak, Benitez was the leader of a failed beach landing at Pinar del Río Province.

[5][19] In 1954, Benitez was elected to the Cuban Senate in the Partido Auténtico (PRC) - strangely, this was the party that had been led by his greatest political rival, Grau.

[4] The target died of natural causes, but Benitez was able to convince Papa Doc that he had accomplished his mission through a slow acting poison, and received $50,000 for the contract.