CASTRO'S CUBA: An American Dilemma

Rivero's analysis of ""a revolution that had aroused the hopes and aspirations of the Cuban people for political freedom and social justice..but developed. . into an ingenuous communist masterpiece"", should receive the thoughtful attention his background for writing merits. Rivero's family has long published de la Marina, second oldest newspaper in this hemisphere. In 1959 Rivero resigned his post with the Organization of American States to ""deep disagreement with the Batista administration, and began overfly to participate in the Fidelista revolution as head of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, until such time as he was forced to recognize the true nature of developments after Castro assumed power. Then, regretfully, Rivero abandoned Castro, joined the Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Front of and lives in exile in the United States. He quotes another former Fidelista, agreeing with his statement that ""any expression of independence, even in defense of the social program... is considered deviationist, devisive, or counterrevolutionary"" if not in accord with the Communist line. Rivero is most persuasive in passages stripped of the sentimental side of his patriotic indignation. His description of Castro's impact on other countries of Latin America, although somewhat emotional, is perhaps the best yet to reach print. He has been closer to the Castro revolution than other writers, his information is more up to date, although sometimes his statistics and opinions are not satisfactorily substantiated. He outlines possibilities for handling the Cuban cold war nexus, declaring in favor of the military approach as the most effective way to save the Americas from Communist domination. Whether or not they agree, readers will find much of interest and importance here.