Latin American Network Information Center - LANIC

-DATE-
19911205
-YEAR-
1991
-DOCUMENT TYPE-
-AUTHOR-
-HEADLINE-
Castro Interviewed by EL SOL DE MEXICO
-PLACE-
CARIBBEAN / Cuba
-SOURCE-
Mexico City NOTIMEX
-REPORT NO.-
FBIS-LAT-91-238
-REPORT DATE-
19911211
-HEADER-
*********************
Report Type:         Daily Report             AFS Number:     PA1112005491
Report Number:       FBIS-LAT-91-238          Report Date:    11 Dec 91
Report Series:       Daily Report             Start Page:     2
Report Division:     CARIBBEAN                End Page:       3
Report Subdivision:  Cuba                     AG File Flag:   
Classification:      UNCLASSIFIED             Language:       Spanish
Document Date:       05 Dec 91
Report Volume:       Wednesday Vol VI No 238

Dissemination:  

City/Source of Document:   Mexico City NOTIMEX

Report Name:   Latin America

Headline:   Castro Interviewed by EL SOL DE MEXICO

Subheadline:   Explains Electoral Procedures

Author(s):   Mexican newspaper EL SOL DE MEXICO; place and date of interview
not given]

Source Line:   PA1112005491 Mexico City NOTIMEX in Spanish 2159 GMT 5 Dec 91

Subslug:   [Report on fourth part of interview with President Fidel Castro by
Mexican newspaper EL SOL DE MEXICO; place and date of interview not
given]

-TEXT-
FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE:
1.  [Report on fourth part of interview with President Fidel Castro by Mexican
newspaper EL SOL DE MEXICO; place and date of interview not given]

2.  [Text] Mexico City, 5 December (NOTIMEX)-Fidel Castro has stated that
elections in Cuba differ from those of other socialist countries and the
European and Latin American democracies because candidates are chosen by the
people, not by the party.

3.  In the fourth part of an interview with the Mexican daily EL SOL DE MEXICO,
Castro noted that this electoral procedure, as well as a political opening for
religious believers, were some of the achievements of the Communist Party of
Cuba's (PCC) Fourth Congress, held in Havana on 10 October.

4.  Castro noted that it was decided during the congress the Cuban people will
nominate and select the candidates who will run for district delegates. He
added that the people can even choose religious believers.

5.  He noted that the admission of religious believers into the PCC was the
most debated issue in meetings of provincial delegates. It was a controversial
issue because there was resistance to the idea, particularly among the younger
generation that does not understand that this is a key issue.

6.  ``During the congress, I thoroughly reported on the economic situation and
the problems facing Cuba,'' Castro added.

7.  He reported that some issues discussed during the congress included:
admission of religious believers into the party, economic opening to foreign
investments, party statutes and philosophy, and new ideas regarding procedures
for the election of members to the National Assembly of the People's
Government, as well as proposed changes to these procedures.

8.  Regarding the election of candidates running for district delegates, Castro
said that the congress agreed that the party should not appoint them, that it
was the people who should nominate them. He emphasized that ``this
characteristic is exclusive to Cuba among socialist countries.''

9.  The people will gather in an assembly and propose their candidates (a
maximum of eight and a minimum of two), who will need a majority of more than
50 percent to become a member of the Municipal Assembly which, in turn, will
elect the delegates to the Provincial Assembly.

10.  Castro added that the persons elected to the Provincial Assembly then
designate the delegates to the National Assembly.

11.  He noted that this system differs from those of other socialist and
capitalist countries, where a party designates the candidates and then the
people vote for the various parties.

12.  Castro stressed that this system also worked in Cuba, ``but we decided to
take this step to improve the People's Government, and we can say that we
reached a consensus.''

13.  Castro stated that, during the Group of Three Summit held in Cozumel in
October, he informed his counterparts Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico,
Carlos Andres Perez of Venezuela, and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia about these
achievements.

14.  Castro added: ``The Cozumel meeting was a success and Salinas de Gortari's
friendship and kindness helped him tremendously in his political duties.''

-END-


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