-DATE- 19870726 -YEAR- 1987 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- SPEECH -AUTHOR- F. CASTRO -HEADLINE- 22ND ANNIVERSARY-ASSAULT ON MONCADA BARRACKS -PLACE- SANTA CLARA, LAS VILLAS -SOURCE- HAVANA DOMESTIC RADIO -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19750726 -TEXT- Castro Speech Havana Domestic Radio-Television Services in Spanish 1423 GMT 26 Jul 75 FL [Speech by Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro making the 22d anniversary of the assault on Monacada Barracks, in Santa Clara, Las Villas Province--live] [Text] Distinguished guests, comrades of the party leadership and government, work heroes and heroines, students, youth, Las Villas people, Cubans: [applause] First of all, I want to express gratitude for the emotional and fraternal words of Gen Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho. [applause] We know General Saraiva de Carvalho as a hero of the April 1974 revolution in Portugal and as one of the most prominent leaders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Movement. And his words mean for us a deep encouragement and his presence in our fatherland on this 26 July has great historic significance, because both countries-- small countries--are, as he says, advancing united in the struggle and will be united in freedom and victory. [applause] Portugal lived under fascism for more than 40 years and its people were involved in the colonial disputes imposed on them by the exploiters But they--the Portuguese military men-gained awareness and took up arms, defeated fascism and initiated the path to liberation. [applause] Perhaps only in that respect our two revolutions are different. We did not have military men in the real sense of the word. We had henchmen and oppressors, [applause] and it was necessary for the people to disarm the army and take up arms themselves. [applause] In Portugal the military men took the path of revolution, defeated fascism and united with the people. [applause] The Portuguese revolution of course will not be easier than our own revolution. Our revolution has been difficult and as had to overcome big obstacles, but supported by the strength of the people and the masses, by the revolutionary awareness of the nation,and by the international revolutionary movement, our revolution was able to achieve victory and its consolidation. [applause] The difficulties for Portugal are big, immense. It is a small country, underdeveloped in industrialized Europe, with great economic obstacles, with few natural resources, and already facing the most tenacious opposition from the reactionaries. It will undoubtedly have to undertake a hard and difficult struggle. But we here listen to a genuine representative of the Portuguese revolution; we are certain they will move ahead. [applause] One speaks the way General Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho did, and when men speak that way and behave that way, without fear, without hesitation, without fearing big obstacles, it can be said that the revolutionary movement is assured. [applause] When the revolution becomes part of the people, when the revolution become part of the working class, it can be said that the revolutionary movement is assured regardless of the obstacles, regardless of difficulties, [applause] regardless of what the sacrifices might be, because the people are capable of sacrificing themselves for their future, for their interests. The people will never sacrifice themselves anywhere for the benefit of the interests of exploiters. [applause] That is why when we see bourgeois governments asking sacrifices of the people, we do not understand how the people can sacrifice themselves for the interests of the bourgeoisie. The workers in general, the peasants, students and the exploited are capable of making the greatest sacrifices for their own interests. [applause] And that is why we are certain that the Portuguese people will make whatever sacrifices are necessary in the revolution together with the Armed Forces Movement. [applause] And we say to General Otelo Saraiva that we are their comrades and brothers in this struggle, [applause] that for us being brothers means solidarity, and that the Portuguese revolutionary movement can count on our people's most resolute support under all circumstances. [applause] And we thank him for being with use during this ceremony, for encouraging us with his presence, and for the fraternal and revolutionary statements he made to our people. We would also like to express to the people of Las Villas our gratitude for the affection, joy and enthusiasm with which they decided to commemorate this 26 July in their province. [applause] This grandiose and gigantic rally is proof of the strength and maturity of the revolution and of the revolutionary spirit of the people of Las Villas, [someone in the crowd shouts: "We belong to the revolutionary party!"] guided, as we have just heard, by their hardened and formidable party. [applause--hurrahs from the crowd] We can say that with this rally the people of Las Villas have overfulfilled their goals. [applause] The provincial branch of the party said that 500,000 people of Las Villas would gather here, but judging by what we can see, these grounds are not large enough to contain all the people of Las Villas who are present, [applause] and the province has less than 1.5 million inhabitants. Despite the distances, despite the hour and despite the efforts required to do so, more than one-third of the population of Las Villas is gathered here. [applause] We know that it was not easy. We know that already yesterday [Unreadable text] began to mobilize during the early hours of evening, [Unreadable text] came the length and breadth of the province to observe this 22d anniversary of the 26 July with half a million citizens present. [applause] However, this is not surprising. We know how conscientious they are; we know how revolutionary the people of Las Villas are. [applause] We are acquainted with their history which is indissolubly bound with the history of the nation in its struggle for independence and national liberation, with the name of Abel Santamaria, who came from Las Villas, [applause] a courageous combatant, organizer, and champion of 26 July; we are acquainted with Jesus Menendez, [applause] a selfless fighter for the cause of the workers, who came from this province also. We know that history links the names of Maximo Gomez, Maceo, and other great patriots with the history of this province. [applause] And finally, we know that the names of "Che" and Gamilo are indissolubly bound with the history of this province. [applause] We know that in order to reach this province they traversed hundreds of difficult kilometers in an indescribable march of sacrifice and heroism, and that some of their greatest deeds took place here. We are acquainted with the history of the province in the revolution before the victory and after the victory. [applause] We know of their struggles against the bandits in Escambray. [applause] We know of their struggles against the Giron mercenaries. [applause] We know that the imperialists at one time wanted to convert this province, not less than this province, into a counterrevolutionary center, but we also know that this province became an invincible bulwark of the revolution. [applause] But the people of Las Villas not only performed excellently in the combat for independence in past times and for the liberation in recent times; they also are magnificent workers, [applause] and in recognition of the effort made by the people of Las Villas in recent years, the leadership of our party decided that this anniversary should be commemorated here in the city of Santa Clara. [applause] The province has done extraordinary work and has attained enormous successes in recent years. Since we are speaking of work we want to point out some of the achievements of this province after 1970. For example, in 1973 material production grew 19.8 percent in comparison to 1972. In 1974 production grew 13.7 percent in comparison to 1973. In the first half of 1975 the province has fulfilled or overfulfilled plans in all sectors of the national economy, [applause] and it has been equal to the effort of the rest of the country whose work represented a 9-percent growth nationally in the first half of this year. One example is construction. Many of the distinguished men of the white hardhats live here. [applause] I could not say from here to what magnificent brigades they belong, whether to the Maximo Gomez brigade, the Antonio Maceo dam construction brigade, or the formidable builders of roads and highways, or builders of schools, hospitals and housing, or of factories to which this province devotes a great effort. But in order to have an idea of the effort, it suffices to point out that in 1970 the production value in the construction sector was 42 million pesos and that this year of 1973 [as heard] the value of production by the construction workers will reach 250 million pesos. [applause] In other words, the construction workers' production has been multiplied sixfold. However, the number of construction workers has not increased sixfold; it grew from 20,000 to 40,000 and production grew from 42 to 250 [million pesos]. The number of construction workers was doubled, but their work in the province was increased sixfold. This gives an idea of the extraordinary increased production of the construction workers. [applause] I could not say whether some of these men present here with their white hardhats were among those who went to work in Vietnam, in the Democratic Republic of Guinea or in the Republic of Tanzania, for 261 construction workers from Las Villas have been working in those sister countries. [applause] And we know that the Las Villas construction workers are willing to work wherever necessary, anywhere in the world. [applause] We know how much they have collaborated in the construction work of other provinces such as building dams or highways in Matanzas Province, or building dams in Camaguey Province where the Antonio Maceo brigade has build a dam of more than 170 million of cubic feet of water in barely a year and a half. [applause] We know of their efforts in the province's industrialization program, of the factories they completed in recent days to commemorate 26 July [applause], including the Santa Clara pasteurization plant and the Escambray ice cream plant which is already in production and can produce up to 20,000 gallons daily. We know how hard they are working on the highway whose embankment will extend from Havana City to Santa Clara by the end of this year and which is being built mostly by Las Villas people. [applause] And [we know of] the construction work on the central railroad which is progressing rapidly and will allow the country to have an excellent and completely modern communication line by 1980. We know they are filling the province with factories, among these the largest Cuban cement factory under construction in Cienfuegos, [applause] which will serve for a thousand more construction projects. We know that they are covering the province with schools, hospitals, agricultural projects, dwellings, reservoirs and highways. Together with the construction workers, the basic industry workers, [applause] the workers in the consumer industry, the transportation workers, and the workers of the services industry have made extraordinary efforts. Since 1970 the province has also marked success in the field of education. [applause] For example, while during the school year of 1970-71 the promotion rate in the primary schools was 66.2 percent, the promotion rate during the just completed 1974-75 school year was 92.3 percent. [applause] While in the basic secondary schools the promotion rate for the 1970-71 school year was 58.5 percent, the rate during this past school year was 93.5 percent. [applause] In the secondary farming schools, which are of recent creation and therefore did not exist in 1970 and of which several score already exist, the promotion rate for this school year was 99 percent. [applause] While during the 1970-71 school year the promotion rate in the preuniversity schools was 50.2 percent, this year the promotion rate was 97.7 percent. [applause] We understand that this is good news for the people of Las Villas, because the children of the workers, your children, are studying there. [applause] However, the province had its most brilliant successes in its response to the appeal by th party Politburo to optimize the sugar harvest. [applause] As you know, during the past several years we have suffered from heavy droughts. Last year's drought cost the country approximately 1.5 million tons of sugar--in other words, hundreds of millions of pesos in sugar alone. We had two extremely dry springs, and this spring is also turning out to be dry, particularly in the provinces of Oriente and Camagueay where most of the sugar is produced. However, when the party called for the optimization of the harvest, the response form all the provinces, and particularly Las Villas was extraordinary. [applause] We have said on previous occasions that socialism should handle the sugar industry at least as efficiently as the capitalists, but why did we say as efficiently as the capitalists? Because, to tell the truth, the capitalists had experience in the production of sugar since the times of slavery. The capitalists had experienced administrators and cadres, and the capitalists had at their disposal an army of labor reserves. What with the half million unemployed in the country when sugar-harvesting time came, moved by necessity and poverty, they went to the canefield and to the sugar industry! However, the revolution, which changed the people's living conditions and abolished unemployment, did not have that army of labor reserves to harvest the sugar, and it had to mobilize workers in industry, office workers, soldiers, students--everyone. It was difficult to harvest the sugar under the new conditions created by the revolution, and we said that it was necessary for socialism to at least match capitalists efficiency in harvesting the sugar. Well, today we can tell the people of Las Villas that not only have the people of Las Villas matched the capitalists' efficiency in this sugar harvest, but they have amply surpassed it. [applause] This is the great victory of socialism in our country. Therefore, without wishing to tire you, but to provide some encouraging details, we should like to give some figures. We will compare the best capitalist sugar harvest, which was in 1952 with Las Villas' best harvest in 1975. The sugar harvest in 1952 in this province lasted 125 days, and in 1975 it lasted 122 days. The capitalists began the harvest in January, and we in December. In 1975 this province produced 22,000 tons more sugar than in 1952, which was when the capitalists had their best sugar harvest. [applause] Using a base of 96 [as heard] the 1952 capitalist sugar harvest had a yield of 12.2 percent and in 1975 the yield was 13.05 percent. [applause] The sugar recovered in 1952 amounted to 84.84 percent, and in 1975 the amount recovered was 85.22 percent. [applause] The daily sugar production in 1952 amounted to 12,472 tons, and in 1975 it amounted to 12,959 tons. In 1975 raw sugar production took place with 1,642 less industrial workers than in 1952. [applause] Sugar production in 1952 per industrial worker employed during the harvest was 69.53 tons, and in 1975 it was 76.09. [applause] Productivity of sugarcane cut and hauled in 1952 was 144 arrobas [presumably per worker] and in 1975, including all types of cutting and hauling, was 275 arrobas. [applause] This represents 131 arrobas more, equivalent to a 91 percent increase in productivity. In 1952, some 12,000 wagon drivers were used to haul the cane, and in 1975 a total of 6,831 workers were used to operate the hauling wagons, trucks and tractors, or 5, 169 less, equivalent to 43 percent. Productivity in cane hauling in 1952 was 860 arrobas per wagon driver, and in 1975 it was 1,553 arrobas for an increased productivity of 81 percent. The workers employed under capitalism to cut, raise and haul the cane during the 1952 harvest amounted to 83,238, and 45,330 workers were used in 1975 for the same work, which represents a savings of 37,908 workers-equivalent to 46 percent. [applause] In 1952, a total of 105,659 farming and industrial workers were used in Las Villas to cut, lift, haul and transport the cane and to produce raw sugar, and 66,109 workers were used for these same tasks in 1975, representing a savings of 39,550 workers. Sugar production per worker employed in the harvest in 1952 was 14.8 tons and in 1975 it increased to 23.9 tons, or an increase of 61 percent. In 1952, Las Villas employed 10.6 percent of the population in activities directly connected with the harvest, and in 1975, only 4.5 percent of the population. In other words, the Las Villas people have, with about half the number of workers produced more sugar than that produced by the capitalists in 1952. These are the facts which reflect the work spirit, the advances of the revolution and its successes beyond those ever reached by the capitalists in the sugar industry of this province. That is why we now can assign 40,000 workers to construction work. That is why we now can assign tens of thousands more workers to other activities and services for the development of the province. That is why the party in the province, its provincial committee and its excellent, fraternal and efficient first secretary, Comrade Arnaldo Milian, [applause], deserve our most sincere and profound congratulations. Comrade people of Las Villas, who are filling this plaza despite the hour of the day, the heat and fatigue--which we know do not dampen your enthusiasm [indistinct shouts, applause]--in seeing you gathered here we remember our first commemorations of 26 July when we were still no more than a handful of men. We held those first commemorations in prisons. Thereafter, we commemorated them in exile; later in the Sierra Maestra. [applause] But we were always full of faith in the future of our cause and in the people. Since 1 January 1959, this is the 17th time we have commemorated 26 July with the people. [applause] Those first days were difficult and bitter ones, but we trusted in the righteousness of our cause. It seemed difficult to change the panorama of the country, but we believed that with the people the country's panorama would be changed. At first we were few. Of course, our revolutionary ideas were shared by a more extensive sector of the population. Although our 26 July program was still not a socialist one, we were socialist on 26 July. And our program created the conditions and foundations for the further advance of the revolution, that is, for the progress toward socialism. Our country also had its socialist party, a Communist Party, a party founded by Valino and Mella. [applause] Next month the party will commemorate the 50th anniversary of its foundation. During the course of the struggle these communist revolutionary combatants jointed closely with the combatants of the 26 July revolutionary movement. [applause] The assault on the Mocada Barracks was the deed which paved the way for the final union and mobilization of the people toward victory. How much time passed from 26 July 1953 to 1 January 1959: 5 years, 5 months, and 5 days--no more and no less: [applause] 5 years, 5 months, and 5 days were spent in prisons, ins persecution, in exile and in the mountains. However, our people worked hard, very hard. In that brief span of time they traveled over a long historical path. The tyrant would never have suspected that. The imperialists could never have suspected that, in the face of the first setback of the revolution. The setback on 26 July was a temporary one. The setback sustained at the from lines during the first days of the landing by the "Granma" was only temporary. It reduced our forces to only seven men with arms! [applause] Some did not believe that the revolution was possible, that the victory was possible. But the revolution was possible, and the victory was possible because our cause was just, because it was based upon the objective laws of society and history. Our books were the works of Marti, Marx, Engels, and Lenin. [applause] Our strength was the people's strength, and even under the most difficult circumstances, these ideas led us to the victory of 1 January 1959 and to the victory and consolidation of socialism in our country. The great lesson of 26 July is the importance of the masses in the struggle, the importance of the people in the revolutionary struggle, and the value of steadfastness and perseverance in the struggle of not being discouraged by any setback, by any difficulty. This was the lesson not only of 26 July, but the lesson of our entire history, from Maximo Gomez and Agramonte to Marti and Maceo. [applause] The Cuban people have often fought for their independence, for their ideals, for their future, and they often had setbacks. But never were they definitely defeated, never did they give up the struggle. These were the traditions which we inherited. We suffered defeats, but we never surrendered. [applause] That is the history of our people. It permitted them to confront the Spanish colonialism of yesterday and the mighty Yankee empire today. [applause] And here is a people that is united, firm and strong. [applause] Colonialism passes, imperialism passes, but the Cuban people endure and will always endure. [applause] That is why we commemorate this date today, at a time of advancement, of success, of victory, of higher awareness than ever before--that awareness of which you have given proof in recent weeks by breaking production records, [applause] by unprecedented achievement in creative effort. And you deserve our recognition for the socialist and communist manner in which you have worked during these days, for the manner in which, for example, you have preserved voluntary labor as one of the greatest victories of our revolutionary conscience, [applause] and for the manner in which--despite the necessary forms of socialist remuneration which we must apply in these years, that is, to remunerate each individual according to the quantity and quality of this work--you have, in the context of that formula which is indispensable and inevitable in this phase of the Cuban revolutionary process, raised and held high the beautiful banner of communist labor, which is voluntary labor. [applause] And in this manner, the Villarenos have contributed over 1 million hours of voluntary agricultural work in homage to 26 July. [applause] I said hours, but it was an error; I meant working days. [applause] Over 1 million working days of voluntary work carried out by the people of Las Vilas, [continued applause] and this is revolutionary awareness. [applause] This is communist awareness, [applause] which we must develop in the same measure as we build socialism. [applause] This is a most worthy homage to those who fell at Moncada. This is a high homage to Che, the founder of voluntary labor. [applause] This raises our confidence in the bright future of the fatherland. We celebrate this 22d anniversary within the framework of preparations for the first congress of our glorious party. [applause] The party is the most formidable instrument of the revolution. It is what gives orientation, solidity and historical continuity to the revolution [applause], a revolution which does not belong to anyone in particular, a revolution which does not depend on any one man or men, but rather a revolution which depends on the people. [applause] Men pass, as we once said, while the party is immortal. [applause] The party is the revolutionary soul of the people. It is through its mass organizations, which encompass the entire population, including the children, that it advances the revolution. Therefore, with joy, with pride, with limitless enthusiasm, our people are working inspired by our first congress, which is now in process. It is in full swing. Important issues and topics regarding the first congress are being discussed. All the people have discussed the draft of the constitution. The people are discussing ideas on the equality of woman [applause], very just ideas which are coming along. Because if we asked everyone's impressions we are certain they would [?state] that just ideas on the equality of women are making headway in our fatherland. [applause] Important theories are being elaborated, such as the one on the new political-administrative division. And for those who ask what the new political-administrative division is, it is the concept most appropriate to our current reality and needs, since our political-administrative division is very old, dating back to the outset of the republic, when we had only 2 million inhabitants. And what will the new political-administrative division be like, as a result of which there will be new provinces? [applause] There is always a note of sentimentalism when we think of splitting up certain provinces. But since the organization of popular powers is tied to this [applause], for an adequate establishment of popular powers it is necessary that the size and scope of the provinces be made more rational. This does not mean that the provinces have not made great achievements so far, as we pointed out with regard to this province or Oriente Province, but simply that the development of social and political reality calls for further rationality in politico-administrative organization. That is why the provinces also will be increased in number. But splitting up the provinces will not mean a division of the people. [applause] Just as today nothing distinguishes the patriotism and revolutionary spirit of the Pinareno from the Oriental, or the Camagueyan, the Villareno, the Havanaero or the Matanzero, so nothing will distinguish between us when we institute a more rational division of the national territory. We will continue to be brothers. We will continue to be Cubans, and above all, we will be more organized and become more revolutionary. [applause] I can imagine the future of emulation among the new provinces. I can imagine the problems which the party's directorate will confront when it has to choose the site for celebrating 26 July. [applause] And if Las Villas Province is divided into two or three provinces, I can imagine the struggle of the old Villarenos to take first place in emulation. [applause] They can be Santaclareros, as the majority of those here, or they could be Espirituanos like that one over there [laughter, applause], or they could be Cienfuegueros. I am certain they will carry on the emulation fraternally, to maintain the glory and tradition of this heroic and historic province of Las Villas. [applause] We are drafting a theory on a new system for guiding the economy, theories on childhood, on youth, on education, on the political education of the people, on policy toward the peasants. In a word, the most fundamental matters for the next 5 years will be considered at the congress. One thing we can say: The revolution is progressing well. [applause] The revolution is stronger than ever. [applause] The people are more enthusiastic than ever. [applause] Some thought that this mass enthusiasm, this force of the people, was only a characteristic of the first years of the revolution. and that with the passing of time the willingness, the enthusiasm would decline. [crowd shouts "no" and applause] This is tantamount to confusing revolts with revolutions. [applause] What does experience teach us? That spirit does not decline, that enthusiasm does not dwindle, and that if the revolution has a heroic stage in the struggle for liberation and a heroic stage in the defense of the fatherland, so too does it have a very heroic and very worthy stage in the phase of creative work. [applause] And if combat and bloodshed unit them, so does creative work unite them. [applause] Their common endeavor in history unites, makes brothers of and enthuses men. [applause] Those who fell did not fall in vain. They fell for the well being and felicity of the people, they fell in winning the right of the people to build their own lives and decide their own destiny; they fell so that you could build schools, educate children [applause], save lives, unfold a culture; they fell to earn the right to live as dignified beings and as human beings; they fell to liberate the work of development; [applause] they fell for liberty. And in the enjoyment of liberty, and in creative work, men become brethren and grow enthused. That is why [applause], far from enthusiasm's dwindling, each day it will be greater, each day it will be more conscientious, each day it will grow, above all, in the same measure as new generations unite and augment our ranks, like those students of the Maximo Gomez [school] [applause], who achieved first place in the nation [applause], like those little pioneers who are present here [applause], because the new generations are educated better and with a deeper culture and higher revolutionary awareness. And they are your children, and those new generations will have to be superior to the old generations. [applause] This is why we fight, and this is why we work. Our future will not be free of difficulties and obstacles. WE live in a world with many problems. There is a crisis in the capitalist world economy. One way or another, it also affects us. We depend a great deal on the price of sugar. A large portion of our sugar is to be sold to the USSR in the next 5-year period, with high and stable prices. But another portion--also important--has to be marketed in the capitalist and nonsocialist world. And prices, as you know, go up and go down. The prices that never go down are the prices of imports, the prices of industrialized products. But the prices of the products of underdeveloped nations other than petroleum go up and go down, and most of the time they go down more than they go up. Thus today the price of sugar is a mere 25 percent of what it was a few months ago. That is why we will have limitations on our raw materials, imports and financial resources. This means that we may be unable to advance in the next 5-year period at the same pace a we have during the past 5-year period. But we will continue to advance. Despite all difficulties we will advance. The examples we cited of what you have done this year show how the quantity and quality of work can improve. With each year that passes we will have better teachers, better doctors, better technicians, better personnel. And at a greater or slower pace, we will continue to advance--and we will advance. [applause] We have a strong people, a firm people, a people seasoned in revolutionary struggle, a working people [applause] that will be capable of constructing or continuing to construct our beautiful future. A day such as this is always a day to reaffirm the purposes of work and struggle, and I know that deep in your hearts you harbor a feeling, an idea: to struggle, to work, to progress, to forge ahead. [applause] Let us thank those generous men who gave their blood and their young lives to the fatherland so that we could enjoy what we have today--the opportunity to be the masters of our fate, of our work and our future. Eternal glory to the fallen on 26 July 1953! [applause] Fatherland or death! We shall win! -END-