After enduring 43 years of US embargo and terror attacks, Cuba has become a skilful survivor. talks to Faiza Rady "What does it feel like in Cuba to be Fidel Castro's son? How do people treat you?" Tall, handsome and charismatic like his father, Fidel Castro junior seemed mystified by the sheer inanity of the question. "What do you mean? It's a perfectly normal experience, people treat me like they treat anybody else. There is nothing special about being the son of a great man, and I lead a normal life, like everybody else." With perfect grace, but looking slightly irritated Castro asked a member of his accompanying delegation to enlighten me about the ABCs of socialism: "Tell her that we live in a egalitarian society and that we have no personality cult in Cuba," he said. Hosted by Cuban ambassador, Luis E Marisy Figueredo, Castro was visiting Cairo this week as head of a Cuban delegation of information technology (IT) and management experts. The delegation met with their Egyptian counterparts to discuss plans for technical cooperation between Cairo and Havana. Holding a doctorate in science and a PhD in physics and mathematics, Castro seems to be the perfect candidate for the post of scientific adviser to the president. He is also a full professor at the Higher Institute of Technology in Havana, where he teaches part-time. An accomplished scientist and an archetypal overachiever, with two doctorates in the hard sciences under his belt, the younger Fidel evidently had to prove himself -- both to his father and the world at large. "Not a politician, but a scientist", as he is quick to point out. And although Castro explicitly distances himself from politics, he gives every appearance of being passionately involved. "Cuba has historical ties with the Arab world and has always supported the national struggle of the Palestinian people," explained Castro. "In fact, Israel is the only country Cuba has ever broken diplomatic relations with -- simply because Cuba does not break diplomatic relations. So the case of Israel is unique in Cuba's annals of diplomacy," Castro said. Algeria was the first Arab country the Cuban Revolution actively supported with troops and medical personnel, during the Algerian struggle for independence, added Castro. Asked about the new threats against Cuba by the administration of US President George W Bush after 9/11, Castro dismissed them as "old news". "Ten US presidents have threatened the Cuban Revolution since its inception. The Cuban people have lived with US threats for the past 43 years. So what's new?" asked Castro. "What is new since 9/11," he proceeds to explain, "is that the field of US operations has expanded tremendously." Along with Cuba and the handful of countries included in the infamous "axis of evil", the Bush administration has targeted 60 countries for harbouring "terrorist" groups, explained Castro. Meanwhile, the Cuban government believes that the US is actively financing and training Cuban contras. Over the past nine months there have been seven hijackings of Cuban boats and planes, while the terrorists involved in four operations remain at liberty in the US. Acts of US-sponsored terrorism abound in Cuba. But Castro has lived with American acts of terror at a more personal level throughout most of his life. In fact, various US presidents authorised an endless string of assassination attempts on his father's life. In 1975, the US Senate's Church Committee reported that there were at least eight CIA-directed plots to assassinate the Cuban leader between 1960 and 1965. Since then the frequency of plots has multiplied and the US government now holds the world record for attempts to kill a foreign leader. According to Cuban government sources, more than 600 attempts against Castro's life have been recorded since the early days of the Cuban Revolution. In 1975, CIA director John McCone testified before the Senate's Church Committee that the Cuban leader should indeed be assassinated because "Castro would seize every opportunity before a microphone or television to berate and criticise the US in the most violent and unfair and incredible terms." This is especially ironic in view of the fact that it is the US, and not Cuba, which controls and moulds public opinion through its ownership of 90 per cent of computer operating information systems, noted Castro. Despite the personal hardship that must have taken its toll, Castro remains optimistic. After all, and despite their formidable might, 10 successive US administrations did not succeed in killing Fidel -- or derailing the Cuban Revolution.
