CUBA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Created: 9/29/1960

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CUBA AND TBE CARIBBEAN

Castro's address bo-Core tbe United Nations General Assembly oneptember showed tbe degree to which Cuba bascoaaltted to Soviet foreign policy objectives. Reactions asoag Latin Aaerlcan delegates were generally negative, but delegatea of soete of tbe new African states vers impressed and struck by Castro'sember of the Frencb delegation expressed the opinion that Castro's staple language, effective delivery, and concepts wereevel toaximumto the "slaple" Africans.

Castro's particularon the issue of Guantanamo follows two public references to the base earlier this aontb, one by Fidel and the otber by Haul Castro, In which an early demand for US withdrawal from tbe base was intlaated. theso statmeots have eapbaslzed that anyacts" with respect to tbe base would originate with the United States, the Cubans aigbt attempt to provoke tbs US into an action that could be used to challenge us treaty rights to the base before an international tribunal. It la known ffffftaaamsmT ammmVmmmmmmmmVmmmVHaBW^tbat Cnstro agents rcgulaily report toeadquarters on US military and naval activities on the base

The American Embassy in Havana, in response to tbeclimate of hostility la Cuba, Is encouraging American citizens to leave theormer Foreign Ministryadvised an American Eabassy officer onepteaber that In view of tba teaperament of the new Cuban charge d'affaires in Washington, Flores Ibarra, th* United State* should expect him toor hi* recallretextuban

demand that Ambassador Bonsai be called home.

Following tbe arrival in Cubaeptember of the first major shipment of Soviet bloc military equipment, the Soviet vessel Solnecbnogorsk docked n Havana oneptember with additional military equipment. At least five crates containing Soviet aircraft were unloaded. Although the American air and naval attaches believe tbeynay have contained MIGhe description of tbe crates suggests they probably contained helicopters, five or six of which were delivered to Cuba froa tbe USSR earlier this year.

that at least two morevessola are probably en route to Cuba with military cargoes. Thoseaay lnclud* MIGs. An unconfirmed report ofepteaber alleges, howover, that Cubatill attempting to secure Jetfrom Westernormer Cubannow in London, Raulhasealompany in Belgium forampire jets alleged to be in Sweden,

Shipment of Soviet bloc industrial machinery andis getting uoder way In Implementation of tbe trade and credit agreements signed earlier this year. Thesear* scheduled to increase steadily fjx volume through next year.

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plans"for the delivery in2 ofed hospital unit*.fro*

Meanwhile, there is anvolume of travel to the Sino-Soviet bloc by Cubanabor unionists, artists, and others. umber

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of Cuban students havereceived scholarships at bloc educational centers. Two top officials of tbe CubanPopular Socialistleft for Moscow early this month.

Tbe Cuban Communiststo strengthen their In an evident responseecision at tho partyin August to unite all revolutionary groupsingle front under "tboof Fidel Castro,"are organizing "united fronts" at tbe local level in many parts of Cuba. These fronts are probably Intended to becose the bases for provincial, then national, political machines.

In addition, the Communists now bave virtually taken over tbe powerful Cuban Workers' Confederation. Veteran Cuban Comeuolst labor .Leader Lazaro Pena hasegularIn recent laboralthough he holds no for--malunion offlee. Communists are probably also active Inprograms directed at various segments of the

;rs of the police on sucb subjects as "tbe recognition of the People's Republic of China, the Congolese and Algerianworld disarmament, and discrimination against Negroes in the United States.

Although tbe Castro regime has become increasinglyelsewhere In Latin America, there still are some politically potentleadersumber of countries ready to defend Tbe popular ex-President Lazaro Cardenas of Mexico, .fox instance, is reported

to bave

expressea me neiiex that the tine is rips totrong front of ths peoples of Latin America mod tbe Afro-Asianin support of Castro.

Guerrilla warfare inof central Cubamnd governmentreported by the Cubannave suffered casualties In to dislodge theguerrillas

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Original document.

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