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