-DATE-
19590724
-YEAR-
1959
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO GIVEN CONTROL OF LAND REFORM FUNDS
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
PARIS AFP RADIOTELETYPE
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19590724
-TEXT-
CASTRO GIVEN CONTROL OF LAND REFORM FUNDS

Paris, AFP, Radioteletype in French to Agency Offices, July 24, 1959, 0420
GMT--E

(Text)  Havana--The Cuban official bulletin on July 23 published a decree
on giving Fidel Castro, as president of the National Land Reform Institute,
power to dispose of the institute's funds as he sees fit.  Castro
henceforth will have full authority to carry out any financial operation he
deems necessary, such as mortgages, sales, purchases, and so forth, in the
name of the institute.

Most of the institute's funds come from property seized from former members
of the Batista regime and from the issuance of numerous bonds.

Harsh Castro Speech

Havana, PRENSA LATINA, in Spanish to Authorized Recipients, July 23, 1959,
1419 GMT--E

(Excerpts)  Havana--Speaking for the first time since the resignation of
former President Urrutia, Premier Fidel Castro said early this
morning--July 23--that his "resignation will be considered by the people in
the July 25 ceremony."

"They will be able to say that we know the opinion of the people.  That
does not matter so much.  What is important is that the decision of the
mass of the people, who on July 26 will express their will and their vote,
be known, since in Cuba there is real democracy."

Castro voiced harsh criticism of UPI President Frank Bartholomew, who a few
days ago in Los Angeles said that in Cuba "there is no freedom of the
press."

"Who do they want to deceive?"  Castro asked.  "People here?  They cannot
deceive people here.  Who then?  Those somewhere else?  Why?"

Making his criticism more specific, the resigning Premier then said that
"UPI agents have spent six months here, telling of the horrors of the Cuban
revolution, without anyone molesting them and now they say that there is no
freedom of the press in Cuba!"

Later, answering an editorial by Sergio Carbo who in today's edition of his
newspaper PRENSA LIBRE asked:  "Campesinos with machetes?  Why?," Castro
said:  "Campesinos with machetes to defend the revolution, campesinos with
machetes to defend Cuba from reactionaries.  We are ready for any who may
try to attack the nation."

This speech was considered by some (newspapers?) today as "Castro's
harshest."
-END-