-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-