-DATE-
19590402
-YEAR-
1959
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
INTERVIEW
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
TV APPEARANCE TO DENY HE TOOK PILLS
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
INCOMING TELEGRAM
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19590403
-TEXT-
Control:  2592
Rec'd:    April 3, 1959
6:57 p.m.

FROM:  Habana

TO:  Secretary of State

NO:  1141, April 3, 6 p.m.

PRIORITY

DEPARTMENT PASS INTERESTED POSTS

Re ENBTEL 1131

Fidel Castro devoted about half hour of four hour TV appearance night April
2 to violent attack on Figueres and his statements which he said were
unacceptable.  Furiously denied he took pills.  Said Figueres not invited
by him but by Ministry of State and that he had treated Figueres
courteously to extent of going to airport at  a.m. to see him off after
being up until 2.  Said Figueres had behaved badly here, attempting to
lecture Cubans about their own affairs like a professor of revolutions.
Castro compared this with his own behavior in Venezuela where he claimed he
had avoided comment on local political scene and had said only what he felt
would be acceptable.

Castro said Figueres should have supported small Cuba in its just defense
of its own interests against US.  Instead Figueres had suggested that US
was tolerating irresponsibility and possible danger in Cuba, and had even
incited US to be more vigilant.

Castro said Figueres was intriguing against Cuba in his comment that Cuban
attitude toward US was largely due to Communist influence.  Said no true
democrat or revolutionary would make such charge which only serves to
promote and encourage aggressions against a sister people.  Castro did not
deny charge and in spite of prodding by moderator of program likewise
avoided discussion of "third position" limiting himself to saying Figueres
was imprudent to bring up question of international relations.

Castro charges that Figueres was not true revolutionary but an idol with
clay feet and pseudo-democrat who had lost recent elections because people
had realized his real nature.  Said true revolutionary would have left
large estates and specific interests untouched and even have increased size
his own .

Castro concluded his blast saying "I wish to record here my protest against
the words of Mr. Figueres and I hope that  one regrets
this little incident because I have lost nothing since Figueres will not
come to our defense when we have to defend the revolution and it is more
probably that we will have to defend, not him, but the Costa Rican people".
Conti that it did not matter whether people took exception
to his or not, that Figures had been of little help during revolution and
that while revolutionary forces were fighting hard Figueres was enjoying
the good life on his coffee plantation.

Embassy comment attack was violent, passionate, rude and personally
insulting.  Represents complete and definitive break between Castro and
Figueres.
-END-