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American Morning

Castro Calling on Country to Demonstrate Against Bush's Policies

Aired June 12, 2002 - 08:30   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From Cuba today, President Fidel Castro calling on his country to demonstrate against President Bush's policies.

From Havana, our bureau chief Lucia Newman joins us live where there is a huge demonstration set to get under way there in Havana.

Lucia, Good morning.

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Indeed, this demonstration is under way right now. You can probably see right behind me a great deal of people. They started marching here toward the U.S. diplomatic mission here about 20 minutes ago, but this march is so compact that most of these people have to stop. They can't keep moving.

Now, the government estimates there are at least a million people here in Havana, but this is an unprecedented protests, because it is not just taking place here, but it's taking place all over Cuba. This has never happened before. As I say, an unprecedented march, even by Cuban standards. Authorities here estimate there's something like 7.5 million people that are marching at this very moment all over this island.

A country of 12 million people, paralyzed today, Bill, in function of only one thing, and that is politics, and the possibility of snubbing Cuba's nose at President George Bush and his call for Cuba to abandon its communist system.

Now, on Monday, the Cuba's popular organizations, that is the trade unions, the students, the women's organizations, all of them loyal to the government, called for a constitutional amendment to declare this country's socialist system untouchable. That is the response that's Cuba's response to all attempts both inside of Cuba and outside to change this country's system -- Bill.

HEMMER: When Fidel Castro calls, they listen and they come, again today.

Lucia, thank you, in Havana.

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