-DATE-
19910718
-YEAR-
1991
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
-AUTHOR-
-HEADLINE-
First Ibero-American Summit Opens in Guadalajara
-PLACE-
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR /
-SOURCE-
Havana Radio Havana Cuba and Radio Rebelde Network
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS-LAT-91-139
-REPORT_DATE-
19910719
-HEADER-
BRS Assigned Document Number:    000011030
Report Type:         Daily Report             AFS Number:     FL1807232891
Report Number:       FBIS-LAT-91-139          Report Date:    19 Jul 91
Report Series:       Daily Report             Start Page:     7
Report Division:     INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS    End Page:       8
Classification:      UNCLASSIFIED             Language:       Spanish
Document Date:       18 Jul 91
Report Volume:       Friday Vol VI No 139

Dissemination:  

City/Source of Document:   Havana Radio Havana Cuba and Radio Rebelde Network

Report Name:   Latin America

Headline:   First Ibero-American Summit Opens in Guadalajara

Subheadline:   Cuba's Castro Speaks

Author(s):   Cuban President Fidel Castro at the opening session of the first
Ibero-American summit, at the Cabanas Cultural Institute in
Guadalajara, Mexico- live]

Source Line:   FL1807232891 Havana Radio Havana Cuba and Radio Rebelde Network
in Spanish 2155 GMT 18 Jul 91

Subslug:   [Speech by Cuban President Fidel Castro at the opening session of
the first Ibero-American summit, at the Cabanas Cultural Institute
in Guadalajara, Mexico- live]

-TEXT-
FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE:
1.  [Speech by Cuban President Fidel Castro at the opening session of the first
Ibero-American summit, at the Cabanas Cultural Institute in Guadalajara,
Mexico- live]

2.  [Text] Mr. President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Your Majesty Juan Carlos I,
distinguished Presidents, and guests:

3.  This is the first time that Latin Americans meet without having someone
else calling the meeting. This in itself makes this meeting historic. We are
confident that it will be far-reaching and that our dialogue will be
constructive and fruitful. We express our deep appreciation to beloved Mexico
and its president for the brilliant initiative. Never before had it been so
necessary and opportune.

4.  For the 10th consecutive year, the economic crisis continues to affect our
economies as a whole. The product per capita does not surpass the level reached
13 years ago. Trade ratios are 21 percent worse than at the beginning of the
eighties. The foreign debt continues to be over $400 billion, in spite of the
fact that the region has made a transference of resources abroad for the amount
of $224 billion in eight years alone. Inflation reached unprecedented levels
during this period. The policies from the large economic superpowers and the
international organizations controlled by them have not brought development but
have taken poverty to over 250 million people. They have not brought foreign
capital in but have promoted the export of capital to developed countries.

5.  Latin America today has many pesos less than 20 years ago in the world
economy. The enormous social and human cost of these realities are expressed in
terms of hunger, disease, illiteracy, marginal neighborhoods, tens of millions
of homeless children, and almost half of the population unemployed,
underemployed, or malnourished. Let us not foster false hopes. These are the
sad realities that undermine and destabilize governments with the speed of
light.

6.  In spite of our culture, language, and common interests over the last
almost 200 years since most of Latin America reached its independence, we have
been divided, attacked, restricted, meddled with, underdeveloped, and
ill-fated. The total value in gold of the net convertible currency which leaves
Latin America each year is more than that of all the gold and silver that Spain
and Portugal extracted for 300 years. In spite of this, it is still proposed
that we can develop.

7.  We have also had imposed upon us alienating and wasteful dreams and
consumption models which not only poison and damage the planet but are
incompatible with the rational needs of 4 billion people who live in an ever
poorer and poorer Third World. We have never been capable of reaching our goals
on our own, despite our huge natural resources and the intelligence of our
people. We could have been everything and are nothing.  There is always a new
siren song for the perpetual navigators we have turned into. I am no longer
talking about blockade, dirty wars, mercenary attacks, or the use of armed
forces of the strongest military power in the world which have been
scandalously repeated before our eyes in this hemisphere in the last three
decades. I am referring to illusions such as the Alliance for Progress, the
Baker plan, Brady plan, and the most recent of the fantasies, an Initiative for
the Americas.

8.  In the meantime, where is the unity, the indispensable, vital, and
unavoidable unity among our states, which was always lacking, especially in the
great foreign debt crisis? When will it take place? How is it? Before the large
groups that today dominate the world economy, is there a place in the future
for our peoples without an integrated and united Latin America? Is it that we
are not capable of seeing that only united can we talk with the United States,
Japan, and Europe? Is it that each one of us can face this gigantic task alone?
The large economic powers do not have friends, they only have interests.

9.  The world is headed in an even worse direction toward political hegemony by
a superpower that has exceeded itself in the use of force many times, which
attempts to even use the UN mechanisms for this hegemony. Never was it so
important as today to proclaim and uncompromisingly defend the principle that
the independence and sovereignty of each state is sacred. The irritating veto
privilege at the Security Council should disappear because it is anachronistic,
dangerous, and unjustified.

10.  To speak of democracy we have to begin democratizing the United Nations
just to achieve a better and more just world. Nations, Cuba among them, can
yield some of their prerogatives. Nevertheless, it will never yield to any
pressure by any country no matter how powerful it may be. I believe that
although many things can be discussed here, the essential element about this
meeting and what would give it its true historical value is the decision to
unite our efforts and wills toward the integration and unity of Latin America,
not only economically but also politically. Cuba is willing to be part of that
integrated and united Latin America. Cuba is willing to discuss any subject
with that Latin America and even to shed its blood by defending what it is
today, the first trench of independence and sovereignty of our peoples. It is a
duty that Marti expressed in his posthumous letter, written the day before he
died in Dos Rios. He urged, through Cuba's independence, that the United States
be stopped in time from spreading through the West Indies and fall with that
magical force on our American lands.

11.  The time has come to fulfill with deeds and not words the will of those
who one time had a dream for our peoples of a great common fatherland that
would be worthy of universal respect and recognition. Thank you very much.
-END-