[News] Castro says intervention in Venezuela would "ignite" S. America.

[News at freedomarchives.org]

Castro says intervention in Venezuela would "ignite" S. America.

28 December 2003
EFE News Service

Havana, Dec 28 (EFE) - Cuban President Fidel Castro has warned that any 
foreign military intervention in Venezuela would "ignite a powder keg 
throughout South America."

Castro's warning came during a televised eight-hour speech to lawmakers 
over the weekend in reference to statements made recently by White House 
Special Envoy Otto Reich over reports that Cuban agents were operating in 
Venezuela under the guise of volunteer workers.

The Cuban leader said that according to Reich, "many people from Venezuela 
have received reports that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of 
military-like personnel from Cuba in Venezuela."

But it reality, he said the Cuban workers in Venezuela were 10,169 young 
volunteer doctors "serving areas where Venezuela's poorest live: attending 
to them and offering them medicines free of charge."

"Why don't they (the Americans) offer (Venezuelan President Hugo) Chavez 
10,169 doctors to take the place of those 'military-like' Cuban doctors?" 
Castro asked.

He added; "I hope they don't err with the Venezuelans. Right now any 
foreign intervention in Venezuela would face strong resistance in South 
America."

Such an intervention, Castro said, "would ignite a powder keg in all of 
South America, right down to Patagonia. You can't govern this hemisphere of 
hundreds of millions of people with a rifle and bayonet on every block, in 
every factory, in every school and on each street."

In a clear reference to the U.S. intervention in Iraq, Castro said it was 
necessary "to remind them that the experiences they are living now would be 
multiplied by 100" in South America.

Again without mentioning the United States, Castro said; "They should not 
underestimate" Latin America, "where the Indians have demonstrated their 
capacity to organize and fight. In Ecuador they are organizing in 
communities, organizing politically, as well as in Venezuela and Bolivia, 
and there they will not find a single ally."
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