Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
87HAVANA746
1987-03-06 21:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:  

CASTRO ON ARTISTIC FREEDOM

Tags:  CU PHUM UNHRC 
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O 062147Z MAR 87
FM USINT HAVANA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7551
INFO USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 00746 

E.O. 12356: OADR
TAGS: UNHRC, PHUM, CU
SUBJECT: CASTRO ON ARTISTIC FREEDOM

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 00746



E.O. 12356: OADR

TAGS: UNHRC, PHUM, CU

SUBJECT: CASTRO ON ARTISTIC FREEDOM



1. (C) WE NOTE, FROM CUBAN MEDIA REPORTING, THAT CUBAN

PARTICIPANTS IN THE UNHRC DEBATE ON MARCH 4 AND 5 CLAIMED

THAT THE GOC PERMITS BROAD FREEDOM FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS.

OUR DELEGATION MAY FIND THE QUOTATION BELOW FROM A CASTRO SPEECH

IN JUNE 1961 OF USE IN REPLYING TO SUCH RIDICULOUS ASSERTIONS.

THE SPEECH HAS SINCE BECOME FAMOUS AS HAVING SET DOWN GUIDELINES

FOR STATE AND PARTY VIEWS ON OBLIGATIONS OF ARTISTS AND WRITERS.

IT WAS GIVEN EXTEMPORANEOUSLY IN THREE SEPARATE SESSIONS ON

JUNE 16, 23, AND 30, 1961, IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF HAVANA.



2. (U) BEGIN QUOTE:

"THE PROBLEM WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING HERE, AND ARE GOING

TO TOUCH ON FURTHER, IS THE PROBLEM OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

FOR WRITERS AND ARTISTS...THE REVOLUTION MUST HAVE AS ITS

OBJECTIVE THAT ALL HONEST MEN AND WOMEN, WHETHER WRITERS OR NOT,

MARCH TOGETHER WITH IT...THE REVOLUTION MUST TRY TO WIN TO ITS

IDEAS THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE...THEREFORE, WITHIN THE REVOLUTION,

EVERYTHING; AGAINST THE REVOLUTION, NOTHING. AGAINST THE

REVOLUTION, NOTHING, BECAUSE THE REVOLUTION ALSO HAS ITS RIGHTS,

AND THE FIRST RIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION IS THE RIGHT TO EXIST, AND

NO ONE HAS PRECEDENCE BEFORE THE RIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION TO BE

AND TO EXIST...IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF THE REVOLUTION.

COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES, THAT IS TO SAY, ENEMIES OF THE

REVOLUTION, HAVE NO RIGHTS AGAINST THE REVOLUTION, BECAUSE THE

REVOLUTION HAS A RIGHT: THE RIGHT TO EXIST, THE RIGHT TO

DEVELOP AND THE RIGHT TO BE VICTORIOUS...".



3. (C) IF THE DELEGATION MAKES USE OF THIS QUOTATION, IT MIGHT

ADD TO ITS PRESENTATION AN INVITATION TO ANY OF THE CUBAN

DELEGATES TO DISAGREE WITH THIS QUOTATION IF THEY THINK IT NO

LONGER EXPRESSES CUBAN POLICY ON ARTISTIC FREEDOM.





JOYCE

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