CASTRO FIDEL: (1926-2016) Cuban revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-76 and President of Cuba 1976-2008. Autograph Manuscript draft of an interview written and signed by the Spanish journalist Enrique Meneses (1929-2013), two pages, 8vo, n.p. (Cuba), 9^th January 1958, in Spanish. The text states, in part, 'In an exclusive interview granted by Fidel Castro to Enrique Meneses for “Le Figaro” of Paris, the rebel leader answers the declarations…..of 8^th January. Castro: To whom should I hand over the weapons that we have taken from the army? To the same army that has been fighting us for a year?......Those that we have captured from the army will be handed over when all possibility of dictatorship is discarded. We do not aspire to any political position, so we do not represent any danger of dictatorship. When the armed forces are reorganised and the dignified military have them under their control, when all fear that a military junta will replace Batista is discarded; the July 26 movement will hand over its weapons to those armed forces. Meneses: What do you think of the acceptance of Manuel Urrutia as provisional President? Castro: We are very happy that everyone agrees that Urrutia is the ideal person to preside over the Repubic…..Carlos Prio no longer counts for anything in Cuba. The revolution is in the hands of the new generation and not in those who want to chain their destiny to a disgraceful past. Meneses: Do you think that without the help of the rest of the opposition you will be able to defeat Batista? Castro: It will take longer but we will achieve it. The days when the troops came to look for us in the mountains are over. Today we have to go and look for them……here it is already safer than in the rest of the Republic. This is free Cuba'. Signed by Meneses at the conclusion and countersigned by Fidel Castro with his name alone in fountain pen ink. Some light overall creasing, minor age wear and a few stains, otherwise about VG

Enrique Meneses (1929-2013) Spanish journalist, writer and photographer. In 1958 Meneses became the first reporter to live, for four months, with the Cuban revolutionaries in Sierra Maestra, at which time he met and interviewed Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. His reports on the Cuban revolution which appeared in French publications caused a worldwide sensation.

The present document dates from just a few months before the military dictator Fulgencio Batista (1901-1973) fled from Cuba in the early hours of 1^st January 1959. News of the fall of Batista's government was met with a jubilant reaction by Cubans and Fidel Castro and his army rolled victoriously into Havana on 8^th January 1959.