Fidel Castro
TALK FROM THE BALCONY OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
You know that I spoke last night until after 2:30 a.m. and 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 coming to it. The leader of our Oriente Province farmers
called me this morning and asked 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 give the world and example of what a real
democracy is.

There was one thing I wanted to tell you, though. You mayor may not know
what happened this afternoon. At any event, Paul Roa and the Cuban
delegation was to return from San Jose at 6 p.m. tonight but while we were
still working early this afternoon we learned that Roa was already back in
Havana. What made him 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 the airplane on which the Cuban delegation was to return
home and shoot it down. Our delegation learned about the details of the
plan and the 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 in order to prevent an ambush of the
airplane while it was in full flight on the part of gangsters who support
the United States.

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 jars 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 give the people an account for all their crimes. When our
revolution came to power, these gangsters ran abroad and they started
operating 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,
and 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 America 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 America from
becoming 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 is
a real democracy. 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, then.
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