-DATE-
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
SPEECH FROM BALCONY OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA FIEL NETWORK
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
-TEXT-
CASTRO SPEECH
HAVANA FIEL NETWORK IN SPANISH TO CUBA 0132 8/31 F
(FIDEL CASTRO/SPEECH FROM BALCONY OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE)
(EDITOR'S NOTE:  CASTRO'S SPEECH, MADE AT INSISTENCE OF PEOPLE, FOLLOWED
RAUL ROA SPEECH.)

(SUMMARY) YOU KNOW THAT I SPOKE LAST NIGHT UNTIL AFTER 2:30 A.M.  I AM
A LITTLE HOARSE NOW AND I WANT TO SAVE MY VOICE FOR THE GREAT GENERAL
ASSEMBLY NEXT FRIDAY. WE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE THE GREATEST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
WE HAVE EVER HAD AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL COME TO IT FROM EVERY CORNER OF
THE ISLAND.  THE WORKERS AND FARMERS FROM OUR FOUR WESTERN PROVINCES ARE
COMINGTO IT.  THE LEADER OF OUR ORIENTE PROVINCE FARMERS CALLED ME THIS
MORNING BY TELEPHONE AND ASKED ME WHETHER THE ORIENTE FARMERS COULD ALSO
ATTEND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.  I TOLD HIM TO BRING HIS FARMERS ALONG. ON
THAT DAY WE ARE GOING TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT A REAL DEMOCRACY IS.

THERE IS ONE THING THAT I WANT TO TELL YOU, THOUGH.  YOU MAY OR MAY NOT
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THIS AFTERNOON.  IN ANY EVENT, RAUL ROA AND THE CUBAN
DELEGATION WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE RETURNED FROM SAN JOSE AT 6 P.M TONIGHT,
BUT WHILE WE WERE STILL WORKING EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WE LEARNED THAT ROA
HAD ALREADY RETURNED TO HAVANA.  WHY HAD HE COME EARLIER THAN EXPECTED?

IT SEEMS THAT ENEMIES OF THE REVOLUTION AND AGENTS OF "YANKEE"
IMPERIALISM--SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE CONSTANTLY RUNNING BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND GUATEMALA-HAD TWO COMBAT PLANES STATIONED ON A GUATEMALA BASE
READY TO INTERCEPT AND TO SHOOT DOWN THE AIRPLANE ON WHICH THE BUAN
DELEGATION WAS TO RETURN HOME.  OUR DELEGATION LEARNED THE DETAILS OF THIS
PLAN AND COSTA RICAN OFFICIALS, NATURALLY FEELING RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT
MIGHT HAPPEN, ASKED THE CUBAN DELEGATION TO CHANGE THE TIME OF ITS
DEPARTURE AND TOOK SECURITY STEPS TO PREVENT AN AMBUSH OF THE AIRPLANE BY
GANTERS WHO SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES. WHILE IT WAS IN FLIGHT. AS YOU KNOW,
ALL THE BANDITS, MURDERERS, GANGSTERS, AND MERCENARIES IN THE UNITED STATES
ARE ASSURED JOBS BY THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AND STATE DEPARTMENT.

AFTER OUR DELEGATION HAD ACTED SO BRILLIANTLY IN SAN JOSE AND HAD ASKED
THE "SARDINES" HOW THEY INTENDED TO SAVE CUBA FROM THE JAWS OF THE "SHARK,"
IT FOUND OUT THAT ITS RETURN HOME WAS NOT SAFE BECAUSE THE GANGSTERS WHO
OPERATE FREELY IN THE CARIBBEAN AREA FEEL THAT THE DOLLARS AND THE SUPPORT
GIVEN THEM BY THE UNITED STATES MAKE THEM BRAVE.

YOU KNOW WHAT USED TO HAPPEN IN CUBA UNDER THE TYRANNY.  YOU KNOW HOW
THE MURDERERS AND THE MERCENARIES USED TO MISTREAT THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY
FELT SAFE.  THEY NEVER FOR A MOMENT THOUGHT THAT THE DAY WOULD COME WHEN
THEY WOULD HAVE TO ACCOUNT TO THE PEOPLE FOR ALL THEIR CRIMES.  WHEN OUR
REVOLUTION CAME TO POWER THESE GANGSTERS HURRIED ABROAD AND STARTED TO
OPERATE AGAINST US IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES.  NOW AGAIN THEY THINK THAT THEY
ARE SAFE.  THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN CUBA; THEY STILL
THINK THAT THE POWER OF THE EMPIRE WILL NEVER END.

ALL OF AMERICA WILL ONE DAY AWAKEN AND THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA WILL TAKE
CARE OF ALL THESE GANGSTERS.  WHAT HAPPENED IN CUBA WILL BE REPEATED IN
AMERICA SOME DAY; AND IF THEY CALL US CONTINENTAL REVOLUTIONARIES BECAUSE
WE SAY THIS, LET THEM DO IT.  IF THEY ACCUSE US OF WANTING A REVOLUTION IN
ALL AMERICAN JUST BECAUSE WE SAY THIS, LET THEM ACCUSE US.

THE TRUTH OF HISTORY IS ABOVE EVERY INTRIGUE AND PROPAGANDA THAT CAN BE
WAGED AGAINST IT.  THE FATE OF AMERICA IS CLEAR:  NO MATTER HOW HARD THE
EMPIRE MAY TRY TO SUFFOCATE THE REVOLUTIONS IN AMERICA, IT WILL BE
UNSUCCESSFUL.  NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT MAY HURT THE "YANKEES," NO MATTER HOW
MUCH THE IMPERIALISTS MAY DESPAIR AND LOSE THEIR PATIENCE, THEY WILL NOT
PREVENT ALL AMERICAN FROM BEING FREE SOME DAY.

LET THEM ACCUSE THE CUBANS OF HAVING SET THE EXAMPLE.  WE FEEL PROUD OF
IT.  WE SHALL TRY MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY TO SET A BETTER EXAMPLE.  AND
NEXT FRIDAY WE SHALL GIVE THE BEST PROOF OF WHAT A REAL DEMOCRACY IS.  IN
THIS ACT THE MASSES WILL SPEAK, THE PEOPLE WILL REPLY, AND THE PEOPLE WILL
SPEAK THE TRUTH TO THAT GROUP OF JUDAS ISCARIOTS WHO SOLD THEIR PEOPLE TO
THE EXPLOITING AND AGGRESSIVE EMPIRE.  UNTIL FRIDAY, THEM.
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