BY GUSTAVO BECERRA

                   President Fidel Castro affirmed this Saturday that the U.S. people can
                   count on "this friendly, cooperative and generous" people of Cuba in
                   the battle against terrorism. Fidel addressed more than 300,000
                   people gathered in Los Olivos plaza, in the central province of Sancti
                   Spíritus, in what constituted a mass act of protest against the
                   blockade, calumny and threats of the U.S. government and the
                   terrorism that has afflicted the island for over 40 years.

                   While he clarified that he was not going to respond personally to recent
                   statements by the U.S. president — who has announced a fresh escalation
                   of anti-Cuban policies — Fidel affirmed that "all of us Cubans are going
                   to respond to Mr. Bush. His arguments will be analyzed one by one, nobody
                   should be impatient, it is a task that will take some time, and we have barely
                   started," he added.

                   He went on to say that he would take advantage of the opportunity
                   to direct a few brief words to the U.S. people.

                   "Our fight is not against the U.S. people," he stressed before recalling
                   that hatred of Americans for the aggression suffered at the hands of
                   their governments has never been sown in Cuba and that they
                   probably receive more respect and hospitality on the island than in
                   any other country.

                   In spite of being influenced by the manipulation and deceptions of the
                   propaganda, relations between the U.S. and Cuban peoples have
                   been improving day by day, particularly after 80% of the U.S.
                   population supported the return to the island of Cuban child Elián
                   González, kidnapped by the Miami mafia and the extreme right in
                   that country, he noted.

                   "It is deeply painful to witness the attempt to deceive that essentially
                   noble people by saying that the laboratories where our selfless
                   scientists are discovering, developing and manufacturing vaccines and
                   therapeutic medicines and treatments are also the location of
                   programs into the research and production of biological weapons,"
                   he stated while confirming: "Producing such weapons has never been
                   imagined in our country; our scientists have been educated in the
                   mission of protecting life, not destroying it."

                   Fidel emphasized that sentiment is more important than knowledge,
                   and proceeded to observe that no other country has lent as much
                   support to other peoples’ health. Anyone acting in that way "cannot
                   have the vocation of a biological weapons’ manufacturer."

                   After upbraiding Washington’s decision to include the island on the list
                   of countries sponsoring terrorism, the Cuban president commented:
                   "More than concern over the moral and political damage that could
                   be derived from such base accusations, more painful is the idea that
                   any U.S. citizen could come to believe that some harm to his or her
                   person, family or people could originate from Cuba."

                   He recalled that there had been no bloodshed in the United States
                   during 43 years of Revolution through any act of terrorism
                   proceeding from Cuba. On the contrary, the island has suffered
                   thousands of lost lives and colossal figures in terms of material
                   damage from acts originating in U.S. territory.

                   "That is something the U.S. people should be informed of instead of
                   being saturated with slander and lies. The only truth that should be
                   inferred is that once the absurd prohibition on commercial exchange
                   is ended the U.S. people will be able to receive vaccines, medicines
                   and medical treatments that could genuinely save many lives or
                   serve to restore wellbeing," he added.

                   REFLECT AND MEDITATE ON THE CAUSES AND ROOTS OF
                   TERRORISM

                   While clarifying that he would not take the opportunity offered to
                   criticize what was done or not done to avert the tragedy of
                   September 11 in New York and Washington, as he lacked the
                   evidence to do so, "as the leader of a country that has had to defend
                   itself from terrorism," Fidel affirmed that sowing panic is not the
                   correct way to confront that scourge.

                   He added that of all the measures that could be adopted against
                   terrorism, there are certain fundamental elements, like educating the
                   people, and transmitting security and confidence so as to obtain from
                   them the most efficient cooperation in that struggle.

                   Reflecting and meditating on the cause and roots of terrorism and
                   applying effective measures to combat it is an elemental duty of
                   world leaders, he stressed.

                   THE UNITED STATES MUST TRY THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR
                   ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST CUBA

                   During the mass event, also presided over by Majors of the
                   Revolution Juan Almeida, Ramiro Valdés and Guillermo García, victims
                   of acts of terrorism against Cuba called on the U.S. government to
                   bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of more than 3,000
                   persons.

                   Nemesia Rodríguez affirmed that she was not motivated by revenge
                   although the loss of her right foot during the Bay of Pigs invasion of
                   1961 had prevented her from realizing her dreams.

                   The mother of one of the 101 children who died as a result of the
                   dengue epidemic deliberately introduced into the country in 1981,
                   challenged the United States to present evidence implicating that
                   country in acts of biological warfare.

                   Justino di Celmo, father of young Italian Fabio, killed during a bomb
                   attack on a capital hotel in 1997, noted that Cuban-American
                   terrorists based in Miami, Florida are the individuals really responsible
                   for his personal suffering and that of thousands of families in this
                   country.

                   Magalys Lort, the mother of Fernando González, one of the five
                   Cubans imprisoned in the United States, denounced the unjust
                   sentences imposed on them when in fact they were fighting to avert
                   acts of terrorism against the Cuban people.

                   Many other speakers, likewise victims of terrorism against Cuba,
                   condemned the total impunity accompanying those responsible for
                   such acts, with the consent or backing of the U.S. government.