CASTRO'S COMPROMISES

(4 of 4)

Castro: To a certain extent, it happened before the special period. But with tourism, the expansion of relationships with foreigners makes that phenomenon increase, motivated by various reasons that are not always economic.

The state tries to prevent it as much as possible. It is not legal in our country to practice prostitution, nor are we going to legalize it. Nor are we thinking in terms of turning it into a free-lance occupation to solve unemployment problems. [laughter] We are not going to repress it. What else can we do? If we are harsher, we will be accused of being human-rights abusers.

TIME: How are you going to pass the revolution to the next generation?

Castro: We are already handing it down to the next generation. No problem. It's easy because responsibilities are shared by many people.

TIME: But three generations from now when none of us are here?

Castro: At that time the U.S. and Cuba will be friends. The awareness of the need for peace will have made great strides, and the so-called embargoes by you and by us would have disappeared-- out of mental illness--out of stupidity, it will disappear.

TIME: What do you want your great-grandchildren to say about you?

Castro: I do not know, but you have to think about it. I believe that they will feel proud. I do not regard myself as a bad man. On the contrary. And I have seen that sometimes grandchildren are proud even of people who were bad.