Castro warns of nuclear war
Source: Agencies |
July 18, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
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Fidel Castro took questions from Cuban ambassadors at the Foreign Ministry on Friday and warned them of the threat of global nuclear war in his most overtly political public act since re-emerging from four years of near total seclusion.
It was the revolutionary leader's fifth appearance in less than a week, and the first in which he met with senior government officials. The sudden media blitz has many observers wondering if the 83-year-old former president plans to reinsert himself into Cuba's political scene at a particularly sensitive time.
The government - now run by his brother Raul - is in the midst of freeing dozens of political prisoners, faces a severe economic malaise and has been cracking down on high-level corruption.
Castro has so far stayed clear of discussing national issues that would be in his brother's domain, focusing instead on his apocalyptic theory that war is imminent, pitting the United States and Israel against Iran.
"When something like this (nuclear war) begins, all the responses are preprogramed," Castro warned. "It is only a question of seconds."
With Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez at his side, the former president took questions for more than 90 minutes from Cuba's ambassador corps, who were assembled in Havana for a regularly scheduled meeting.
A taped broadcast of the session went out on national television on Friday evening, and an article about the encounter was posted on the government-run Cubadebate website.
"Thank you, Comandante," the foreign minister said at the end of the question period. "We are very excited about your presence here."
In Castro's other appearances, he has met workers at a science think tank, been interviewed on a current affairs program, visited an economics center and taken in a dolphin show at the national aquarium.
Even at the dolphin show, Castro brought up his fear that America would unleash a nuclear war, something he has been warning about in opinion pieces for weeks.
It was the revolutionary leader's fifth appearance in less than a week, and the first in which he met with senior government officials. The sudden media blitz has many observers wondering if the 83-year-old former president plans to reinsert himself into Cuba's political scene at a particularly sensitive time.
The government - now run by his brother Raul - is in the midst of freeing dozens of political prisoners, faces a severe economic malaise and has been cracking down on high-level corruption.
Castro has so far stayed clear of discussing national issues that would be in his brother's domain, focusing instead on his apocalyptic theory that war is imminent, pitting the United States and Israel against Iran.
"When something like this (nuclear war) begins, all the responses are preprogramed," Castro warned. "It is only a question of seconds."
With Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez at his side, the former president took questions for more than 90 minutes from Cuba's ambassador corps, who were assembled in Havana for a regularly scheduled meeting.
A taped broadcast of the session went out on national television on Friday evening, and an article about the encounter was posted on the government-run Cubadebate website.
"Thank you, Comandante," the foreign minister said at the end of the question period. "We are very excited about your presence here."
In Castro's other appearances, he has met workers at a science think tank, been interviewed on a current affairs program, visited an economics center and taken in a dolphin show at the national aquarium.
Even at the dolphin show, Castro brought up his fear that America would unleash a nuclear war, something he has been warning about in opinion pieces for weeks.
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