Latin American Network Information Center - LANIC

-DATE-
19711123
-YEAR-
1971
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
APPEARANCE
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
TIERRA DEL FUEGO VISIT
-PLACE-
CHILE
-SOURCE-
HAVANA IN SPANISH
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19711124
-TEXT-
Tierra del Fuego Visit

Havana in Spanish to the Americas 1100 GMT 23 Nov 71 C

[Excerpts] Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro has stated that Cuba and
Tierra del Fuego are two poles marking a new spirit that is taking shape, a
spirit for which the hour is drawing near and which will establish the
grand community of Latin American states. If you are the Tierra del Fuego
of the south, then consider our fatherland as the Tierra del Fuego of the
north, he added.

Accompanied by President Salvador Allende, Castro crossed the Magallanes
Strait in a twin-engine aircraft, stopping at the small town of Cerro
Sombrero for a 4-hour visit.

During a breakfast in his honor at a local gymnasium, the Cuban leader
remarked that the honors he has received are not for him but for the Cuban
people. Chileans and Cubans struggle for something that Marti, O'Higgins,
Bolivar, San Martin and Morelos referred to as our America, he added.

Referring to the significance of the Chilean people's expressions of
approval and solidarity. Fidel Castro said this significance has two
aspects: what is so dear to you, the Chilean process, and something which
is physically so far away, Cuba, the Cuban revolution, and the Cuban
people.

During his speech, Fidel turned to President Allende and called him comrade
president, adding that he is something more: an old friend, esteemed,
admired, and dear president. He then spoke about Latin American unity,
saying that among the privileged, in injustice and exploitation, there can
be no unity among countries. This revolutionary generation is building a
world for others, he continued, emphasizing this idea with this thought:
ours is the privilege of hoping.

Castro then visited the Angostura area where he met with local workers. He
later returned to Punta Arenas. The Cuban leader had previously met with
the workers of the Lanera Austral textile plant in Punta Arenas, where he
was welcomed amid cheers. He also met with students of the regional branch
of the State Technical University.

Replying to a student's question on why the Guantanamo base remains in the
hands of the United States, the Cuban Prime Minister answered: It is very
simple, because we cannot take it from the North Americans. We are not
strong enough to take it by force, he added, amid the applause of hundreds
of students.

Someday, however, that territory will again belong to Cuba. It will not be
because we took it by force, but because the balance of power in the world
is changing, because countries are continually changing, and because even
the people of the United States will see the end of domination by the
oligarchies and monopolies, which we believe are currently in crisis.

The Cuban Prime Minister then concluded: Someday there will be no need to
fire a single shot to make them remove their base. Today the base is a
small piece of territory, it has no significance. More significant are
ideals. More significant is the Cuban example.
-END-


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