Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Carter Pushes Cuban Petition in Uncensored Speech

Aired May 15, 2002 - 07:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: It was an uncensored and historic address in Cuba by Former President Carter. Speaking live on state- run television and radio last night, the former president spared neither the U.S. nor Cuba in his remarks given in Spanish.

CNN's Kate Snow is in Havana and joins us now with some of the reaction to the speech -- good morning, Kate. How did it go over?

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Going over very well for those who saw it and heard it here. At least that's the initial sense that we're getting. Former President Carter didn't mince any words, he didn't hold back in his criticism of Cuba, even though Fidel Castro was sitting right there in the front row listening.

He told about 150 Cuban students, as well as all the folks who were listening on the radio or watching or watching on television here, that Cuba's socialist government, in his words, "does not allow people to organize any type of opposition movement." The constitution, he said here, recognizes the right of expression -- the freedom of expression and association. But he said there are other Cuban laws that then deny those freedoms.

Now Carter talked about improving relations between the United States and Cuba. He said it wouldn't be easy, but he suggested that Cuba needs to move toward democracy; saying that it should be part of a democratic hemisphere. Now that's a key word, democracy. But then he also said it's not just up to Cuba, it's also up to the United States.

Mr. Carter made it clear that he supports a lifting of the U.S. embargo on this country. He said Congress needs to take the first step and promote trade and tourism with this country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For 42 years, our two nations have been trapped in a harmful state of belligerence. Time has come, though, in which we must change our relations and the form in which we talk and think about one -- about the other.

The United States is the most powerful nation. We are the ones that should take the first step forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Now President Carter noted that America, the U.S. isn't perfect when it comes to human rights. But he said at least in America, Americans can change their system, they can change their laws through the process. And he said here in Cuba there is a way to do that.

He noted that there's a small piece of the constitution -- the Cuban constitution -- that allows people to try to force change by following a petition with the government. Why did he bring that up? Because last week a group of dissidents did just that. They turned in a petition to the National Assembly, the parliament here, with 11,000 Cuban signatures on it that calls for a referendum on the government and on human rights. Carter talking about that.

Now here's the important part. Until last night, Cubans had no idea about that petition. It had never been mentioned on the media here. It had never gotten any publicity.

The leader of that movement says he's thrilled that Carter brought it up, but he was also a bit dismayed that it took a president from the United States to tell the Cuban people what's going on in their own country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSWALDO PAYA, CUBAN DISSIDENT (through translator): We feel ashamed, because only if a former American president comes here do Cubans find out there is a legal initiative in Cuba attached to the constitution. Not the American Constitution, but the Cuban Constitution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Now after that serious speech, the president took a break a bit. He took a trip out to the ballpark, heading out with Fidel Castro. President Carter wearing his trademark Braves cap. He's a big Atlanta Braves fan. President Castro, on the other hand, wearing a cap with a "C" on it for Cuba.

And the two of them -- Mr. Castro coaching the president a little bit, trying to show him how to throw a ball. President Carter then threw out the first pitch for the baseball game. And, Paula, the pitch landed a little bit short; it bounced off the home plate.

We're coming to you from Parque Central, which is the central part down in old Havana today. I just quickly want to show you where we are. We're right under the Hotel Inglaterra. It is a very famous hotel. It's been declared a national monument -- 120 years old.

Right next door is the Teatro del Cialorca (ph), one of the oldest theaters -- in fact, the oldest theater in the Western Hemisphere. And, Paula, a little bit later we're going to take you across the street into the park that I just mentioned. This is a real crossroads; people go through here on their way to work.

But there's also this corner over here. They call it the hot corner -- I was trying to translate -- Escina (ph) Caliente -- the hot corner. It's where people go to talk and debate mostly about baseball. So we're going to take you there a little bit later on. People yelling about baseball over there -- back to you, Paula.

ZAHN: Yeah, it looked like a pretty passionate crowd there last night, when you saw President Carter and Fidel Castro there on the grounds of the baseball diamond -- thanks, Kate. We're going to look for your special tonight.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com