Fernández and Fidel Castro Discuss Various Topics in Private Meeting

Dominican President, Leonel Fernández, and Cuban leader Fidel Castro held a private 2-hour meeting on Monday in which they discussed the global crisis, the political situation in the Dominican Republic and several political figures such as Francisco Alberto Caamaño and Ernesto Che Guevara. They also talked about the political thought of literary legend, Professor Juan Bosch.

Unlike other presidential meetings, Mr. Castro received President Fernández in his home where he is satisfactorily recuperating from health problems…

Unlike other presidential meetings, Mr. Castro received President Fernández in his home where he is satisfactorily recuperating from health problems that have obliged the Cuban leader to cede power to his brother Raul Castro, according to the President’s Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

Discussing the global crisis, the topic of a regional forum going on at the moment in Cuba, Castro told Fernández that he had carefully listened to the Dominican leader’s speech at the Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration held recently in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.

The Cuban leader expressed interest in knowing more details on what took place at that international meeting on the global economic crisis. Castro stated that the crisis represents the beginning of the end for neo-liberal globalization.

The Cuban leader recalled how he met Professor Bosch and talked to Fernández about the Cayo Confites expedition. He said that, from this experience, he learned an important lesson which later served him well in his revolutionary struggle in the Sierra Maestra which required him to be more selective in recruiting members for the July 26 Movement. He added that, on several occasions, he had urged Che Guevara to extend his stay in Africa.

In discussing Francisco Alberto Caamaño, the Dominican leader of the Playa Caracoles Movement, Castro recognized his immense personal courage and his patriotic fervor. Caamaño spent several years in Cuba organizing and training for the expedition while living there with his family.

Fernández confirmed that Fidel Castro spoke with energy, strength and firmness in his voice and, above all, in a lucid manner about all the topics they discussed.

Official photograph of the meeting held between President Leonel Fernández and the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.
President Fernández spoke on Monday night for about two hours with Castro on various topics, including the economic crisis in Latin America, Juan Bosch, and even on the participation of both countries in the World Baseball Classic.