CUBAN DEVELOPMENTS

Created: 9/1/1960

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CUBAN DEVELOPMENTS

;iA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM0 RELEASE AS7

walkout from the OASniuters' moating onugust further Isolates the Castro regime from other hemisphere nations and emphasizes to them that the Cubanhaa rejeoted the Inter-Amerlcan system In favor of greater dependence on support from the Sloo-Soviet bloc. Cuba notified the foreign ministers that it will agalc charge tbe US with economic sggrssslon before the UX Security Council. Minister Roa'a speeches at the OAS meeting and subsequent comment by Fidel Caatro and Roa and the official Cuban press clearly stats that the Castro regime regards itself as the vanguard of therevolution that will eventually sweep Latin America.

The Cuban press and radio haveorrent of abuse against thehich Radio Mambi, tbe most virulent, calledang of churls, aof lackeys under theof tbe powerful and bestial imperialism." Onidel Castro condemned theministers as "docilef imperialism" who "betrayed" the people of Lmtin America by siding at the OAS meeting with tbe "aggressor nation" rather than with the "heroic Cuban people." All the other Latin American governments, he said, are controlled byand economic oligarchies linked to "imperialism." "Oure added, "has had the honor of initiating tbe American rebellioo against the Yankee empire."

The OAS meetings have had serious reperousslons on the domestic political scsoes In two South American countries. The Presidents of Venezuela and Peru mayhowdown with tbeir foreign ministers for not

following instructions toa firm resolution againat Soviet bloc intervention In the hemisphere.

The resignation of these officials, whose actions and atatecenta at San Jose were unfavorable to the US andsympathetic to tbe Castro regime, could stir soriousreactions in theirwhere pro-Castro groups are promoting unrest. Theof Venezuelan Foreign Minister Arcaya, whose party has allied itself with otherand Communists, in support of Castro, wouldotential throat to President Betancourt's coalitionretext forprotest demonstrations.

Moscow signified Itsof continuing strongfor Castro bytatement by Poreiga Minister Gromyko strongly denouncing the US for Ita activities at ths OAS msstlng. CriticisingBarter's speechromyko claimed that tho US objective at the meeting was to gain support for "aggressive policies" toward Cubacoa-ooctlng charges against the USSR." Be challenged the "right" of the US to regard Latinaffairs as its exclusiveand defended the right of the USSR to take so interest Inwhich emerge In other areas of the world.

Bloc commentators have generally assessed thoefeat for US idely broadcast Soviet commentary picks up the main point of Gronyko's statement and concludes that the San Jose resolution is "not worth the paper it Is written on."

The Castro regime continues to strengthen its contact with

I

IMMEDIATE INTEREST

8 of IS

II

AND COMMENTS

1 Of 21

PART TIT

CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY0

Slao-Sovlet bloc. Theannounced onugust tbat Cuba and North Korea badultural exchange agreeoent, tbat the two countries bad agreed to establlebrelations on thelevel "as soon asnduban delegation will leave shortly for Pyongyang torade treaty. If Cuba grants diplomaticto the North Koreant will be the firstcountry to do so.

Rumania is preparing toa Horse press link with the Castro-subsidized Prensa Latlna agency, according to

sucn units were twoen Bavana and Prague and Havana and Moscow last month.

The important Cuban tobacco workers' federation cabled the Trade Onion international of Workers of the Food, Tobacco and Beverage Industries in Sofls onugust tbat It had agreed to affiliate with that world Communist labor front.

A photograph takenS press correspondentilitia

roview before Fidel Castro onugust establishos that Czechao, rifles with attached folding bayonets have been delivered to Cuba. These are the first bloc arms to bo positively identified inuban radio announcer bad declared onugust that Czech arms were on hand. There is no reliable Indication of the artount of Czech snail arms which has. been delivered.

These weapons presumably arrived onoviet merchant ship, possibly the Jean Jaures, which arrived in Cubauly wltb four or fivewheat, aad This ship hadrief call at'the Rumanian port of Constanta, where it could have taken on Czech arms brought down the Danube River,

Shipments ofitems,Jet aircraft,yet begun,

a -

very of Such military equipment probably will beby training of Cubanpersonnel ln the bloc. Some military training is sow being conducted ln Czechoslovakia for perhaps as nanyubans. ubans Airlines plane passed through Geneve onugust, reportedly returning Cuban "air cadets" from Prague, where their tour was probably too short to Include Jet pilot training.

While tbe bloc mayrender large-scale military assistance to Cuba, Moscow at tbe moment Is moving oautiously ln supplying assistance,In order to minimize the

PART I

I

IMMEDIATE INTEREST NOTES AND COMMENTS

f 15

111

AND PERSPECTIVES

expected reaction Is much of Latin America.

Relations between Cuba and Or, Cheddl Jagan, leader of British Guiana's Communist-dominated majority party, have been developing rapidly, and Jagan announcedressin Havana oaugust that Cuba had agreed to furnish his government0 Loan and technical aid. Tho British Colonial Office, whose approval will be necessary, assumes the Soviet Union Is behind the loan offer--partly becauss of th* easy terms for repayment,

he domestic front, the drastic purge of naval peraonnel after the alleged discovery of an antlgovernmeat plot in the navy has apparently been largely conoluded. The army and militia units are exercising complete control of naval facilitiesleftist Lieutenant Commander Calnas can reorganize the navy to the satisfaction oforces Minister Raul Castro.

Ant1government guerrilla activity continues la theof central Cubs. Aembassy source reported that h* had contacted the

guerrillas betweenndugust and foundf tbem divided into several groups, all poorly armed and low oa ammunition and food. He reported that new recruit* are beginning to trickle lo,and dissidents in Havana are reported by other source* to be trying to get supplies to the guerrillas Thee reported to bell*v* that, althoughefforts against tbem have thus far been ineffective, they could notoncerted assault for moraew days.

The government has renewed its charges that "pirate"are making hostileover Cuban territory, and

lOB'lt two incursions by unidentified aircraft occurred oougust. Itowever, that th* flights wero engineered by the Cuban Government Itself in an effort to arouse Cubans further against the United States. Fidel Castro oaugust accused "agent* of Yankee Imperialism" of planning to shoot down Foreign Minister Roa'* plane on bisflight from Ban Jose.

III

AND PERSPECTIVES

1 of IS

Original document.

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: