Evening star., 1962-09-17
Mexico Walking a Tightrope on Its Cuban Policy

not support either economic or
military sanctions against
Cuba.
"We are defending principle.
not the government Of Cuba, /"
said one official. He and 9TH
ers point out that Mexico has
fought too hard and too long
for this principle Of non-inter-
vention to abandon it now. II
has become the best Mexican
safeguard against the contin-
entail power Of their giant
North American neighbor.
President Adolfo Lopez Ma
teos dramatized this balancing
act during his annual state
of -the-union" message to Con-
gress last week. He praised the
cordiality Of relations with the
United States, the triumphant
Mexican visit of President and
Mrs. Kennedy in June, and
warned that Communist sub
version from any source would
not be tolerated In Mexico.
But he also stated that
Mexican relations with the
Cuban regime are Completely
normal"
Attitude Hardens
Experienced observers quick
" point out that this normal
cy" must not be equated with
"softness." The Mexican gov
ernment's attitude toward Of
ficial and unofficial represent
atives Of Fidel Castro in Mexi-
co has noticeably hardened
during the past year.
Tons Of Cuban Communist
propaganda have been en-
bargoed. Burly ENJOYS from
Cuba are stopped at the air.
port and deprived Of their fire
arms and literature. Even so
important q parsonage as for
mer Mexican President Lazaro
Cardenas was denied govern
ment permission to visit q
peace congress" In Cuba sew
eral monthE ago.
Furthermore, q genuine per-
sonal warmth has crept into
Mexican relations with the
United States since the Ken
nedy visit to Mexico City. Pic
lures Of the President and his
wife are still spread through
out the capital. And when Mr..
Kennedy now speaks in Wash
ington, his words are listened
to with more sympathy in
Mexico than any other Presi-
dent since Franklin D. Roose-
velt.
All Of this slightly sweetens
the bitter pill of Mexican inertia
over Cuba for United States
policy-makers, even if IL does
not make 1t totally digestible.
Visitors returning to Mexico
after some time in Cuba say
that wild reports in the United
States Congress and press have
completely missed the main
thrust of Soviet policy in Cuba.
The aim is to maintain the is
land as a permanent irritant
for the United States in the
Western hemisphere, not to
turn it into a military bastion.
Interested In Economy
According to this reasoning
the Russians are much more
absorbed with Mr.. Castro's
economy than with his army.
These observers all agree that
the evidence is overwhelming
that the Cuban dictator simply
has not made his brand OF
''socialism" work. Everything
from food distribution to trans
portation to basic industry has
broken down.
Therefore, these observers at
tach far more Importance to
the new flood of Soviet eco
nomic technicians than to the
arrival of relatively few" mill
tary experts. One reliable report
from a well-informed neutral
ist" embassy in Havana says
that less than 800 of the $500
new Soviet technicians are
there for military purposes.
The implication is that Mr..
Khrushchev has now deter
mined to build socialism" for
Mr.. Castro. And in the Mexican
view, this new Soviet effort in
Cuba poses q far more danger
Gus threat in the long-run to
the Western hemisphere than
all the much-publicized mill
tary aid.