-DATE-
19590514
-YEAR-
1959
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
SIX HOUR MARATHON TELEVISION APPEARANCE
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
INCOMING TELEGRAM
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19590514
-TEXT-
Control:  9104
Rec'd:    MAY 14, 1959
7:16 PM

FROM:  HABANA

TO:  Secretary of State

NO:  1368, MAY 14

PRIORITY

FIDEL CASTRO MADE SIX HOUR MARATHON TELEVISION APPEARANCE SUNDAY NIGHT, MAY
10.  PRINCIPAL POINTS WERE:

1.  TRIP TO NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA SUCCESSFUL AND GRATIFYING.  REACTION
VARIED BUT EVERYWHERE FOUND UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR CUBAN REVOLUTION.  HAD
NOT EXPECTED THAT IN U S. WITH HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND MENTAL ATTITUDES
DIFFERENT FROM LATIN AMERICA PEOPLE WOULD HAVE RESPONDED SO
ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND WITH SUCH COMPREHENSION.

2.  INTERNATIONAL POLICY SHOULD BE ONE FRIENDLINESS AND CLOSENESS ALL OTHER
PEOPLES, IN ORDER HAVE FRIENDS.  HAD SUCCESSFULLY FOLLOWED THAT POLICY IN
UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA.

3.  COMPLETE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN CUBA.  BUT WARNED THAT THERE ALSO
RIGHT REPLY TO CRITICISM, AND "WE WILL REPLY AND WITH ALL THE PEOPLE".
DENIED GOVT CONNECTED WITH EFFORT WORKERS SOME PAPERS CONTROL EDITORIAL
POLICY.  SAID WORKERS HAD NO RIGHT ASK FOR MODIFICATION EDITORIAL POLICY.
DEFENDED CUBAN PRESS AGAINST SUBSIDY CHARGES.  SAID HABANA HAD TOO MANY
PAPERS.  VARIOUS MEDIA EXPRESSION HERETOFORE AVAILABLE ONLY TO PROSPEROUS
CLASSES.  HENCE GOVT PARTICULARLY ZEALOUS IN DEFENDING INTERESTS POORER AND
UNEDUCATED CLASSES.

4.  HOPED LAW NOW BEING DRAFTED TO DO AWAY WITH REVOLUTIONARY TRIBUNALS AND
TURN OVER REMAINING CASES TO CIVIL COURTS COULD BE PROMULGATED BY END WEEK.
HABEAS CORPUS WOULD BE RESTORED, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BE APPLICABLE ONLY
CASES MALFEASANCE IN PUBLIC OFFICE AND CONSPIRACY RESULTING IN DEATH.

5.  CHARGE OF COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN REVOLUTIONARY GOVT IS FANTASY,
PROMULGATED BY ENEMIES.  HE UNABLE VIEW ATTACKS OF ENEMIES DISPASSIONATELY,
AND SOMETIMES HAD STRONG REACTION.

6.  OPPOSITIONIST GROUPS REPRESENTING PREVIOUS REGIME THOUGHT THEY WOULD
RETURN TO POWER SUPPORTED BY U S MARINES OR SOMETHING SIMILAR, AND
ATTEMPTED TO DISCREDIT REVOLUTION IN U S.  NOTHING TO FEAR, AND GOVT WOULD
NEVER SURRENDER POWER.

7.  GOVT WOULD INCREASE PUBLICITY EFFORTS ABROAD, IN VIEW OF CAMPAIGN
AGAINST SOME ITS ACTION.  WOULD INCLUDE STRONG CAMPAIGN PROMOTE TOURISM.

8.  DEMOCRACY PREFERABLE TO DICTATORSHIP, THOUGH HARDER TO ACHIEVE.  THIS
PARTICULARLY TRUE IN CUBA BECAUSE OF NATIONAL TENDENCY LOSE INTEREST AND
BECOME DISHEARTENED.  TASK OF GOVT, COMPOSED OF YOUNG PEOPLE, COMPLICATED
BY CORRUPTION LEFT BY BATISTA AND LACK TECHNICIANS.

9.  SENSELESS TO HOLD ELECTION AT THIS TIME, SINCE CASTRO AND FOLLOWERS HAD
SUPPORT GREAT BULK OF PEOPLE, AND FOR ELECTIONS THERE SHOULD BE OPPOSITION
PARTIES.  ALSO, GOVT INTENDED IMPLANT SOCIAL JUSTICE, POLITICAL MORALITY
AND CAREER CIVIL SERVICE BEFORE ELECTIONS.

10.  WITHIN SIX MONTHS GOVT WILL BE IN POSITION SET DATE FOR ELECTIONS.  26
JULY MOVEMENT WILL BECOME POLITICAL PARTY AND RUN CANDIDATES.  CASTRO NOT
INTERESTED IN PRESIDENCY, BUT LEFT FINAL DECISION UNTIL LATER.  ALSO NOT
INTERESTED IN POWER, RESPONSIBILITY OR PRESTIGE.  ONLY INTERESTED IN
SERVING CUBA.

11.  REVOLUTIONARY GOVT HAS TREMENDOUS POWER, WHICH WOULD ALWAYS BE USED
FOR PUBLIC GOOD AND TO PROTECT ALL CUBANS EQUALLY.  HIS BASIC OBJECTIVE
BRING TRANQUILITY SECURITY TO ALL CUBANS.

12.  PROPOSED EARLY ISSUANCE NEW CURRENCY.  PROCEEDS FROM CANCELLATION FIVE
HUNDRED AND THOUSAND PESO BILLS WOULD BE APPLIED AGRARIAN REFORM.

13.  GOVT INTENDED INCREASE NATIONAL PRODUCTION AND VOID INFLATION.  MANY
COUNTRIES LATIN AMERICA HAD INFLATION CAUSING RISE COST OF LIVING.  IN
CUBA, COST LIVING DROPPING.

14.  VIGOROUSLY DEFENDED BUENOS AIRES PROPOSAL FOR $30 BILLION GOVERNMENTAL
CAPITAL FUND FROM UNITED STATES.  LARGE SCALE PUBLIC FINANCING ONLY
SOLUTION FOR LATIN AMERICAN PROBLEMS, AND LATIN AMERICA COULD NOT LONGER
TOLERATE LACK ATTENTION DISPLAYED BY UNITED STATES.  NO OTHER SOLUTION
AVAILABLE.  SAID THIS WAS OPINION ALL OTHER LATIN AMERICAN DELEGATES AT
MEETING.  ALSO EMPHASIZED DESIRABILITY COMMON MARKET.

15.  ON MILITARY SERVICE, OPPOSED COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING SINCE
SOLDIER SHOULD NOT BE FORCED.  EXPLAINED PHRASE "POLITICAL ARMY" MEANT ONLY
THAT ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL SHOULD HAVE RIGHT VOTE, AS IN MEXICO.  ALSO
OPPOSED ORGANIZED WORKERS MILITIA.  PEOPLE IN GENERAL SHOULD RECEIVE SOME
SORT VOLUNTEER MILITARY TRAINING, IN ORDER DEFEND REVOLUTION IF NECESSARY,
BUT SHOULD BE NO FORMAL MILITIA ORGANIZED IN PEACE TIME.  HOPED CREATE
SMALL, WELL, TRAINED, MOBILE PROFESSIONAL ARMY.

16.  OPPOSED REVOLUTIONARY EXPEDITIONS FROM CUBA, AS DAMAGING TO REVOLUTION
AND TO INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE.  HAD WORDS OF SCORN FOR GOVT PANAMA FOR
ALARM IT FELT OVER GROUP 90 INVADERS.

17.  DOUBTED MAY 20 PROPER NATIONAL HOLIDAY, SINCE CUBA DID NOT BECOME
TRULY INDEPENDENT THAT DATE.  HOWEVER, WOULD CONSIDER DECLARING IT HOLIDAY
IF PEOPLE DESIRED.

18.  STRONGLY CONDEMNED GENERAL STRIKE IN SAN LUIS, ORIENTE PROVINCE
PROTESTING FAILURE RUN NEW HIGHWAY THROUGH CITY.

19.  OPPOSED DECLARATION GENERAL AMNESTY, BUT PLANNED REDUCE SENTENCES
COMMON CRIMINALS IN MOST CASES BY ONE-THIRD.

20.  DISPLAYED PREOCCUPATION OVER RENT CONTROL LAW.  SAID LESSEES MUST PAY,
OWNERS MUST COLLECT ON NEW BASIS.

21.  NATIONAL SAVINGS AND HOUSING INSTITUTION HAVING DIFFICULT TIME,
PARTICULARLY BECAUSE PROPENSITY CUBAN PEOPLE GAMBLE.  BONDS NOT SELLING
WELL.  GOVT NOW PROPOSING USE PROCEEDS FROM BONDS TO GUARANTEE LOW INTEREST
LOANS FROM GOVERNMENTAL BANKING INSTITUTIONS.  MENTIONED RATE ONE AND
ONE-HALF PERCENT.

EMBASSY COMMENT SEPARATELY.

BONASL
-END-