Fidel Castro - Speech before National Medical Association lyrics

PRIORITY Castro made speech before National Medical Association, with guests from other civic institutions, on March l, which local press calls most radical and nationalistic he has made. He blamed US for all Cuba's troubles, following general line set forth EMBDESP 1013, paragraph 16. Theme was "Our problems have not been between Cubans, but between Cubans and non-Cubans". Said Cuba has long struggled against foreign interests. Said American intervention in 98 led to Platt Amendment. People thought revolution had triumphed in 1933 but betrayed by Batista who "according to White Book of State Department, influenced by Caffery, rose in arms against the revolutionary government and installed his dictatorship." Said that after Batista seized power in 1952 US sent armaments and military missions "not to win a war but to keep the Cuban people oppressed and maintain the privileges of the rulers." Castro acknowledged some people claim revolutionary government is Communist. Said this done in hope of obtaining new foreign intervention and that if any intervention attempted Cuban people would fight to the man. Said "If they want to call us Communists because we don't persecute Communists, then let them call us Communists. We have proclaimed our respect for all ideas, and he who believes in his ideas does not fear those of others". He added "Our revolution is a new doctrine which is between the two hegemonies struggling to control the world. Our revolution is completely Cuban." Castro summarized social and economic objectives in following words: "In short time we will have reduced the wealthy to the middle cla** and raised the poor to the level of what is today called middle cla**." BONSAL NOTE: READ BY MR. STEVENSON (CMA) 6:30 p.m. 3/17/59 -END-