MOBILIZES IN REPLY TO U.S. PROVOCATION
On May 21, a Cuban sentry, Iuis Ramirez Lopez, who was standing guard outside the Guantanamo enclave held by U.S. troops, was killed by rifle fire emanating from the base which lasted sporadically for about two hours.
On the following day, Guantanamo officials answered the Cuban protest over the murder by flatly denying that any Cuban sentry had been killed by rifle fire from the base. They stated that there had not been any rifle fire whatsoever.
A few*hours later, the Pentagon announced that an "incident" had been reported which it was investigating. On completion of the "investigation," the Pentagon said that the Cuban sentry had intruded into the base, fled when noticed -and was shot while climbing over the fence to get away.
This is the version that has been | widely publicized by the capitalist press in the United States. In Europe, the Pentagon version has been questioned. ‘Thus the May 29- 30 issue of the Paris daily Le Monde declared:
"According to Western journalists who visited the Cuban posts near Guantanamo Friday [May 27], it appears difficult to accept the American version of the incidents. In fact, the base is surrounded by three enclosures of barbed wire, and 40 "meters beyond that, another high fence. Beyond this fence’ a mine field marks the perimeter of the base. According to the version confirmed by Mr. Dean Rusk Friday evening, a wounded Cuban soldier was presumably capable of getting through all these obstacles. The Cuban comandante.: showed the journalists photographs of the body of Ramirez, the Cuban soldier killed last week, showing that the bullet cut: through the aorta, causing instant death."
.. Besides injury, the Pentagon added provocative insult, ‘claiming that there had been eleven Cuban intrusions into Guantanamo since last March, three of’ them resulting in exchanges of gunfire. The latest intrusion, accordang to this same source , occurred May 23, following the killing of Ramirez
In a May 27 statement, the Pentagon claimed, as reported by
the New York Times, "that six Cubans had climbed into the base, fleeing only after an exchange of fire with American guards."
The State Department. utilized this claim, in turn, to send a formal diplomatic protest through the. Swiss Embassy , describing this alleged intrusion as a "serious matter.
The most serious thing about the claim was what it revealed about the state of the U.S. mine field. Six Cubans crossed it, to believe the Pentagon, going perhaps. cautiously but returning on the run without: a single mine exploding!: The capacity of the: Cubans to skim over barbed wire fences should also be of serious concern to... the Pentagon. The United States has only two men capable of that -- Batman and Superman. es
The Cuban response to this provocation showed that they are as alert as ever. If the Pentagon and State Department were testing their reflexes, they got the answer they deserved.
Castro denounced the Washington warmongers, in two statements May 27, charging that the State Department version of the. Guantdnamo incidents was a lie. The Pentagon and State Department, said. the... Cuban prime minister, were attempting to "create the psychological ~ conditions to unleash armed aggression against Cuba. © He ordered a nationwide state of alert. otk cam
On May 28 ‘President Dorticés called in. all the ambassadors of the Soviet bloc countries to bring them up to date on the situation. He declared that "if the United States attacks, we will accept volunteers from all countries to help us. "
As the Cubans mobilized from one end of the island. +o. the... other, the Soviet government warned the United States to-retreat. In a statement issued by Tass on May 29, the Soviet Union said: .
"The Soviet ruling circles follow developments in that area closely and consider it necessary. to issue a reminder of earlier pledges of support for heroic” Cuba, which is > fighting: for its freedom and independence.
"Those who harbor aggressive . designs against.the Republic of Cuba should not forget that Cuba has true and reliable friends."
The State Department professed puzzlement over Havana's sharp reaction. According to a Washington dispatch in the May 29 Wew.. York Times, "officials here said they did not really understand what lay behind the Cuban: agitation." They understand well enough. Ever since Johnson began escalating the war in Vietnan, Castro. has openly. stated that the'-best way to meet American aggression is as quickly and as energetically as: possible, so as to serve clear. warning and to block ee military assault before it gets started and gains momentum.
Castro. advocated this for others. Would he apply it to Cuba, too? Rusk and McNamara now have their answer.
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