Feb. 26, 1957
Curbs on Press and Radio and Incoming Publications
From U.S. Are Lifted
By R. Hart Phillips
Special to
The New York Times
HAVANA, Feb. 25 – Censorship of the Cuban press and radio will be lifted tomorrow, according to an announcement today by Dr. Santiago Rey, Minister of Interior.
The curb was imposed Jay. 15, when constitutional guarantees were suspended throughout the island for forty-five days.The latter action was taken to give military authorities a free hand in combating terrorism and protecting the present sugar harvest, the Government said at that time.
The censorship of incoming United States publications will also cease tomorrow.Under this order the police have cut out or blacked out all articles in foreign publications arriving here that referred to revolutionary or terroristic activities in Cuba.The New York Times is among the publications that have been censored frequently.
The lifting of censorship prior to the expiration March 1 of the period for which constitutional guarantees were suspended “is evidence of the feelings and desires of the Chief of State [President Fulgencio Batista] and his sincere devotion to the liberty of the press and freedom of expression,” the statement of the Minister of Interior said.
An attempt to disturb the present sugar crop, create fear and alarm among the public and interrupt the flow of tourists to Cuba by terrorism and sabotage “has been frustrated by the energetic and efficient action of the armed forces,” Dr. Rey said.He termed as communistic the youthful revolutionary movement known as the 26th of July.
The movement is led by Fidel Castro, who landed an expedition on the south coast of Oriente Province last December and is still fighting against Government troops in the Sierra Maestra there.
The continuing terroristic campaign became island-wide shortly after the suppression by Government troops of a short-lived rebellion in Santiago de Cuba and the landing of the Castro expedition.