76-10-A7
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1977
| << Previous Broadcast | Next Broadcast >> |
Cuba II
TranscriptA few weeks ago our new ambassador to the United Nations publicly expressed the view that we should "normalize" relations with Cuba. By coincidence, I assume, Dictator Castro appeared on television two days later and expressed his desire for normal relations with the United States beginning with resumption of trade. That would be a good beginning -- for Mr. Castro. He has much more to gain from trade with us than we do. His country's economy is creaking along, with consumer goods of every kind in short supply and productivity far less than it was in the bad old days of freedom. The question is, should trade be the first approach to normal relations, diplomatic recognitions and so forth? We are signatories to the United Nation's declaration of Human Rights. We rationalized signing the Helsinki pact on the grounds that it might make life easier for some of those enslaved behind the Iron Curtain and elsewhere. Why shouldn't we tell Castro that normal relations might follow the adoption by him of some of the simple humanitarian customs we consider normal? Chile, a country often accused by some of denying civil liberties to it's people, nevertheless has offered to exchange political prisoners for some of the people being held by the Soviet Union and other Communist countries. On December 18 they had their first success. The Soviet Union freed and exchanged Vladimir Bukovsky for a veteran Chilean Communist, Luis Corvalon. But so far they have had no success in trying to exchange another jailed Chilean Communist for a Cuban prisoner, Major Huberto Matos, imprisoned by Castro in October of 1959, almost eighteen years ago. It seems that his crime was in saying that the Castro government was being infiltrated by Communists and that he didn't want to be associated with it. This was only a few months after Castro had seized power and Matos was one of the military leaders who had helped him do this. He was removed from military command, placed under arrest and jailed for -- QUOTE - "betraying" - UNQUOTE - The Revolution. For the last five years he has been allowed no visitors. Our government is aware of his situation. His wife, Maria, has been seeking help to obtain his release. She has written President Carter, asking him to intercede; to appeal to Castro to accept the Chilean offer of an exchange. She has also met with staff aides of Senators Case and Kennedy and Representative Edward Koch (COKE), all of whom have been quite vocal in their protests about human rights in Chile. So far she's had no success. In her letter to the President she wrote, "Can you provide the needed hand to obtain the release of my husband? You have called for a new morality in foreign policy and I believe that you are genuinely interested in human rights. That is why I'm asking you to appeal directly to President Castro urging him to accept the Chilean offer." Mrs. Matos' last word from her husband was a letter smuggled out of the prison two years ago. He said, "if my spiritual state is holding up, I cannot say the same for my physical state." He told her his left arm was paralyzed and he was nearly blind, then added, "I am old and ailing. I am a shadow of the man who entered prison in 1959." Major Matos is just one of thousands imprisoned in Castro's Cuba. Let normalization of relations with us begin with justice for all of them. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
Details
| |||||||||||
Added Notes |
