Fidel Castro
1ST NATL CONGRESS OF ADVANCED TEACHERS
Havana, 10 April--Cuban Premier Castro said this evening that "our
people must learn to comprehend the events developing at home, abroad, and
especially in Latin America. We should not be dragged along by opportunist
views. Our people should learn how to assess these events objectively and
correctly."

Castro was speaking at a meeting held here to mark the conclusion of the
First National Congress of Advanced Teachers and the graduation of a class
of students from the school for basic revolutionary instruction. Referring
to the Cuban counterrevolutionaries patronized by the United States, the
Premier said that "the counterrevolutionary forces are leading toward
greater disintegration from day to day now that the united revolutionary
forces have become more experienced, more skillful in struggle, and more
united and stronger."

Castro said: "We want to avoid clashes with the United States or any other
country. This is no secret> We do not want war. Also this is no secret. It
is extremely absurd to think that we want war." He continued: "Our country
has struggled and has made preparations to fight in defense of our
sovereignty. But this is a totally different matter. Never have we though
of starting a war. Because a policy of aggression and hostility has been
imposed on us, we found it necessary in the past to defend ourselves and to
prepare for self-defense, In the future, we shall always be prepared for
self-defense, and ready to pay whatever costs in order to defend our
fatherland and our revolution. This is categorically different from a
policy of war and from any irresponsible policy."

Castro said that "it was not Cuba's mistake that our men had to fight at
Giron Beach, but the aggressor's crime. Every measure that has been taken
by this country has been for the purpose of preventing aggression."

"Have the imperialists abandoned their plans of aggression? We are not yet
clear about this."

"As long as there is this menace, we will continue to seek adequate ways
and means to insure our security."

Referring to the bright prospects opened by Cuba and the storms rising in
Latin America, the Premier asked: "Now where are some of those rulers who
had worked as instruments of the imperialists?"

"The revolution here has become firmer and more formidable then ever, has
become more invincible than ever before the imperialist attacks and the
conspiracies of the corrupt oligarchical forces in other Latin American
countries."

"In short, one thing is clear--that the revolutionary ranks have built up
their strength and raised their consciousness. The revolutionary ranks are
united as one while the enemies are on the wane and falling apart."

He asked: "What can we not do, what can the people not do when they have
become the real masters of their own destiny?" "This must be taught if any
revolutionary theories are to be taught at all. This must be learned if
revolutionary consciousness is to be promoted. To learn revolutionary
practice is to learn to solve the innumerable questions presented to us by
proceeding from reality with our feet firmly on the ground. A revolutionary
should never forget, a Marxist should never forget that the primary thing
is to plant one's feet firmly in reality and start out from there."
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