Castro government announces march of 1.2 million for anniversary of revolution Reuters July 24, 2001 HAVANA -- About 10 percent of the Cuban population is expected to march on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana Thursday, in the Caribbean island's largest anti-American protest. A communique released Tuesday by the ruling Communist Party said 1.2 million Cubans, from a total population of 11 million, were being mobilized to take part in the protest ``against the aggressions and crimes of imperialism against Cuba.'' Thursday marks the 48th anniversary of Fidel Castro's July 26, 1953, attack on the Moncada Barracks that launched his armed uprising. It is one of the most important dates on Cuba's political calendar. In Washington, State Department spokesman Philip Reeker, declined to comment on security plans at the U.S. mission ahead of the rally, saying security was always a priority. Reeker said he hoped most Cubans would find something better to do with their time than join an orchestrated demonstration against the United States.``I think they could come up with far better things to do --perhaps, stay home and think about who's truly responsible for problems in Cuba,'' said Reeker. ``The Castro regime, as you know, has not been a model of freedom of speech or allowing people to express their own thoughts, or to think about steps that the regime might take -that Castro could take -- to open up to democracy and improve the lives of Cubans,'' he said. The 74-year-old president is expected to lead the march despite promising to be more ``prudent'' after fainting in public recently. He gave a rallying cry to the nation in a speech late on Monday, urging Cubans to treat Thursday as one of the most important ``days of combat'' in their history. Tuesday's communique was a litany of familiar complaints over U.S. policies against Cuba since Castro's 1959 revolution, particularly the ``perverse and genocidal'' economic embargo. Special venom was reserved for new President Bush.``His only philosophy would seem to be government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich," the communique said. Bush and Castro have had stern words for each other of late, as U.S.-Cuban political ties remain as bitter as at any time in the last four decades. "Faced with the imperialist, arrogant and threatening language --with a Hitlerian style and accent --that we have heard in recent days, let's send a clear, serene, dignified and energetic message: the Cuban people reject your cowardly threats,'' the communique added. Thursday's state-mobilized march will be the latest in 18 months of constant anti-U.S. protests in Cuba. The regular protests began with the custody dispute over young shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez. Castro has said the renewal of regular mass mobilizations, a throwback to the 1960s and 1970s in Cuba, are a way to give the younger generations, who did not participate in his rebellion, a chance to earn their ``revolutionary'' credentials. U.S. diplomatic officials in Havana do not comment on the marches, but they frequently watch them from the mission's windows and balconies using binoculars. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
