-DATE-
19880813
-YEAR-
1988
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
REPORT
-AUTHOR-
F.CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO MARKS 62ND BIRTHDAY - CUBAN REVOLUTION
-PLACE-
ECUADOR
-SOURCE-
HAVANA RADIO RELOJ
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19880815
-TEXT-
Marks 62d Birthday

FL1308125288 Havana Radio Reloj Network in Spanish 1232 GMT 13 Aug 88

[Text]  Commander in Chief Fidel Castro said he considers his friendship
with famous Ecuadoran painter Oswaldo Guayasamin as a great privilege.  He
was speaking during an emotional exchange with Guayasamin which ended in an
strong embrace with Guayasamin which ended in an strong embrace.  A
reception has held at the painter's residence in Quito which began last
night and lasted through the early morning hours of today.  Political and
intellectual figures from Ecuador and other countries attended the
reception.

Fidel spoke in a simple and colloquial style when all those present
expressed their well wishes when midnight came around and the leader of the
Cuban revolution became 62 years old.  Trying to hide his emotion, Fidel
referred to the party held at Guayasamin's home to celebrate his birthday.
This is the first time that I celebrate my birthday away from Cuba
voluntarily.  Twice before I was exiled and two other times I was in jail
prior to the revolutionary triumph, Fidel remarked on an intimate and
personal note.

Announcing that the will conclude his visit to Ecuador today, our commander
in chief said:  I have felt very happy here, and this is one of the
happiest days in my life.  He then described his friendship with the great
painter Guayasamin as a privilege.  Fidel jokingly commented that
Guayasamin's mural for the Ecuadoran congress, which bears the initials
"CIA" as a symbol of U.S. interference in Latin America, is going to be one
of the most famous paintings, or at least the one that became famous the
fastest.  Fidel reiterated that he was very happy during his stay in
Ecuador because of the warmth of the welcome accorded to him by the people
and government.  I want to dedicate these feelings to the people of
Ecuador, to the extraordinary sons of Ecuador such as this one, my brother
Guayasamin, Castro concluded.
-END-