-DATE-
19861211
-YEAR-
1986
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
APPEARANCE
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO TOURS GUIRA DE MELENA
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA TELEVISION SVC
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19861211
-TEXT-
Castro Tours Guira de Melena

FL110239 [Editorial Report] Havana Television Service in Spanish at 0100
GMT on 11 December carries a recorded report on Cuban President Fidel
Castro touring Guira de Melena Municipality during "Bastion 86" strategic
exercises. The camera shows Castro chatting informally with men at a shop
where weapons are repaired or modified. He is then shown chatting with a
reserve battalion composed of men who work in various areas of production,
service, and others who are retired. One of the men says he is a teacher
and after the commander in chief asks him about his school and students, he
asks why he is not wearing a uniform. The man responds he simply has not
gotten it yet. Castro moves on and chats with an elderly retired man who
tells him he is asthmatic. Showing concern over the man' health he finds
that he stopped smoking 11 months ago. Castro jokes with him and asks why
we waited 72 years to stop smoking. Castro refers to smoking as being
suicidal. He confesses that, although he himself stopped smoking 16 months
ago, he sometimes dreams he has been smoking and is ashamed of that. He
notes he is ashamed, and says "there are some insolent people who have
dared to say that I smoke behind closed doors."

Staff announcer Manolo Ortega says the commander in chief paid a visit to
Guira de Melena's municipal agricultural enterprises but on his way there
decided to stop at a family doctor consultation office. He wants to know
what kind of medical cases have been treated there, how many, and so forth.
At the agricultural enterprise, Fidel asks why they do not conduct research
and see if some leaves and herbs seen in the area are edible to add to
available resources in times of war. Castro asks the peasants about their
agricultural production.
-END-