Office of the Historian

248. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State1

Havana, February 5, 1959—11 a.m.

930. Castro in speech at Guantanamo February 3 is reported as attributing Cuba’s perennial economic troubles to dictation by US Ambassadors.

Embassy is informed by two different reliable sources that Castro is obsessed these days with keeping his personal popularity coefficient high, which partly explains his appeals to latent anti-Americanism of uninformed masses.

Department has undoubtedly been considering, like Embassy, whether visit of Castro to US would be beneficial to US-Cuba relations and to stabilization of Cuban situation. Assuming he accepted, I believe visit could dispel much of his suspicion and prejudice. Invitation might best come from Army. If Department agrees Castro visit in our interest, I suggest invitation be conveyed by Bonsal soon after arrival.

Braddock
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 737.00/2–559. Confidential; Priority.↩