US embassy cable - 87HAVANA746

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