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Castro Accuses El Salvador of Tolerating Terrorists
Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Saturday reiterated his accusations that the Salvadoran government was protecting and tolerating "terrorist" Luis Posada Carriles, who was arrested in Panama for allegedly masterminding an assassination plot against Castro.
Addressing a public rally of 30,000 people in the eastern town of Guisa, Castro said he was assured that Salvadoran President Francisco Flores received on October 1999 via a special Cuban envoy, every piece of information on the activities and plots of Posada Carriles.
But "nothing was done, perhaps because he missed his opportunity and lacked courage," Castro said, adding that this information had already been sent to El Salvador's former president, Armando Calderon, who then passed it on to the president-elect at that time.
Castro said these circumstances led to a sharp dispute between him and Flores during the 10th Ibero-American Summit held in Panama, where El Salvador presented a condemnation motion on the terrorist activities of the Basque separatist organization ETA, which Castro said was "limited" because it did not consider the Ibero-American area as a whole. Cuba was the only participant that did not put its name on the motion.
"I did not accused him of taking part in this evil plan," said Castro. But he stressed that Posada Carriles "lived, conspired and operated in El Salvador," and that the government was not just in the knowledge of this situation, but also tolerated and covered it."
Castro said he was prepared to hold a separate meeting with Flores in order to discuss more about issues concerning the terrorist activities, a proposal made by the Salvadoran leader during the Panama summit.
Castro also demanded that Posada Carriles be extradited to Cuba since he is accused of several anti-Cuban attacks, including the bombing of a Cubana airliner in 1976, which left 73 dead, most of them Cubans.
Posada Carriles, 72, escaped from a Venezuelan jail in 1985, and was reportedly linked to the Iran Gate scandal, as he actively participated in the arms supply to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. And in 1998, he was accused of organizing bomb attacks against tourist destinations in Havana.
Posada Carriles was arrested shortly after he arrived in Panama. Panama security forces acted promptly in collaboration with their Cuban counterparts after Castro revealed Posada Carriles' plot to assassinate him at a press conference.
In detaining Posada Carriles' commando, the security forces also seized explosives and detonators, as well as a map of the University of Panama, where Castro was to expected to attend a mass event.
According to Panamanian media, the commando planned to attack Castro in the university's assembly hall where they considered to be the most vulnerable place. There were other planned spots of attack in avenues linking Tocumen International Airport to Hotel Caesar Park, where Castro stayed.
Panamanian authorities, which are still investigating the case, have yet to make public their position on Cuba's request concerning the extradition.
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