Editing Fidel Castro (section)

===Grey years and Third World politics: 1969–1974===
{{Main|Grey years|Cuban intervention in Angola}}
[[File:BENZAZA BOUMEDIENE CASTRO.jpg|left|thumb|Late President of Algeria [[Houari Boumédiène|Houari Boumediene]], Fidel Castro, and Benzaza Hadj Benabdallah – May 1972]]
Castro publicly celebrated his administration's 10th anniversary in January 1969; in his celebratory speech he warned of sugar rations, reflecting the nation's economic problems.{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1pp=618–621|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2p=227}} The 1969 crop was heavily damaged by a hurricane, and to meet its export quota, the government drafted in the army, implemented a seven-day working week, and postponed public holidays to lengthen the harvest.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1p=273|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=634–640|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3p=229}} When that year's production quota was not met, Castro offered to resign during a public speech, but assembled crowds insisted he remain.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1p=274|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2p=644|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3p=230}} Despite the economic issues, many of Castro's social reforms were popular, with the population largely supportive of the "Achievements of the Revolution" in education, medical care, housing, and road construction, as well as the policies of "direct democratic" public consultation.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1pp=275–276|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2p=606|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3p=230}} Seeking Soviet help, from 1970 to 1972 Soviet economists re-organized Cuba's economy, founding the Cuban-Soviet Commission of Economic, Scientific and Technical Collaboration, while Soviet premier [[Alexei Kosygin]] visited in October 1971.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1pp=276–277|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=682–684}} In July 1972, Cuba joined the [[Comecon|Council for Mutual Economic Assistance]] (Comecon), an economic organization of socialist states, although this further limited Cuba's economy to agricultural production.{{sfn|Bourne|1986|p=277}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L0614-040, Berlin, Fidel Castro an der Grenze.jpg|thumb|Castro and members of the East German [[Politburo]] in Berlin, June 1972]]
In May 1970, the crews of two Cuban fishing boats were kidnapped by Florida-based dissident group [[Alpha 66]], who demanded that Cuba release imprisoned militants. Under US pressure, the hostages were released, and Castro welcomed them back as heroes.{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1pp=640–641|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2p=230}} In April 1971, Castro was internationally condemned for ordering the arrest of dissident poet [[Heberto Padilla]] who had been arrested 20 March; Padilla was freed, but the government established the National Cultural Council to ensure that intellectuals and artists supported the administration.{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1pp=609–615, 662–676|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2pp=232–233}}

In November 1971, [[State visit by Fidel Castro to Chile|Castro visited Chile]], where Marxist President [[Salvador Allende]] had been elected as the head of [[Popular Unity (Chile)|a left-wing coalition]]. Castro supported Allende's socialist reforms but warned him of right-wing elements in Chile's military. In 1973, the military [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|led a coup d'état]] and established a military junta led by [[Augusto Pinochet]].{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1pp=278–280|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=685–701, 703|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3pp=233–236, 240}} Castro proceeded to Guinea to meet socialist President [[Sékou Touré]], praising him as Africa's greatest leader, and there received the [[Order of Fidelity to the People]].{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1pp=706–707|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2pp=237–238}} He then went on a seven-week tour visiting leftist allies: Algeria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, where he was given further awards. On each trip, he was eager to visit factory and farm workers, publicly praising their governments; privately, he urged the regimes to aid revolutionary movements elsewhere, particularly those fighting the [[Vietnam War]].{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1pp=707–715|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2p=238}}

In September 1973, he returned to [[Algiers]] to attend the Fourth Summit of the [[Non-Aligned Movement]] (NAM). Various NAM members were critical of Castro's attendance, claiming that Cuba was aligned to the [[Warsaw Pact]] and therefore should not be at the conference.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1pp=283–284|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=718–719|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3p=239}} At the conference he publicly broke off relations with Israel, citing its government's close relationship with the US and its treatment of Palestinians during the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict|Israel–Palestine conflict]]. This earned Castro respect throughout the Arab world, in particular from the Libyan leader [[Muammar Gaddafi]], who became a friend and ally.{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1p=721|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2pp=239–240}} As the [[Yom Kippur War]] broke out in October 1973 between Israel and an Arab coalition led by Egypt and Syria, Cuba sent 4,000 troops to aid Syria.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1p=284|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=745–746}} Leaving Algiers, Castro visited Iraq and [[North Vietnam]].{{sfn|Quirk|1993|pp=721–723}}

Cuba's economy grew in 1974 as a result of high international sugar prices and new credits with Argentina, Canada, and parts of Western Europe.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1pp=283–284|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=724–725|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3p=240}} A number of Latin American states called for Cuba's re-admittance into the Organization of American States (OAS), with the US finally conceding in 1975 on [[Henry Kissinger]]'s advice.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1p=282|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2p=737}} Cuba's government underwent a restructuring along Soviet lines, claiming that this would further democratization and decentralize power away from Castro. Officially announcing Cuba's identity as a [[socialist state]], the first National Congress of the Cuban Communist Party was held, and [[Constitution of Cuba#1976 Constitution|a new constitution drafted]] that abolished the position of president and prime minister. Castro remained the dominant figure in governance, taking the presidency of the newly created [[Council of State (Cuba)|Council of State]] and [[Council of Ministers (Cuba)|Council of Ministers]], making him both [[head of state]] and head of government.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1p=283|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=726–729|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3pp=240–241}}

Castro considered Africa to be "the weakest link in the imperialist chain", and at the request of [[Agostinho Neto]] he ordered 230 military advisers into [[People's Republic of Angola|Angola]] in November 1975 to aid Neto's Marxist [[MPLA]] in the [[Angolan Civil War]]. When the US and South Africa stepped up their support of the opposition [[National Liberation Front of Angola|FLNA]] and [[UNITA]], Castro ordered a further 18,000 troops to Angola, which played a major role in forcing a South African and UNITA retreat.{{sfnm|1a1=Bourne|1y=1986|1pp=281, 284–287|2a1=Quirk|2y=1993|2pp=747–750|3a1=Coltman|3y=2003|3pp=242–243}} The decision to intervene in Angola has been a controversial one, all the more so as Castro's critics have charged that it was not his decision at all, contending that the Soviets ordered him to do so.{{sfn|George|2004|pp=77–79}} Castro always maintained that he took the decision to launch Operation Carlota himself in response to an appeal from Neto and that the Soviets were in fact opposed to Cuban intervention in Angola, which took place over their opposition.{{sfn|George|2004|p=79}}

Traveling to Angola, Castro celebrated with Neto, Sékou Touré and Guinea-Bissaun president [[Luís Cabral]], where they agreed to support Mozambique's [[FRELIMO|Marxist–Leninist government]] against [[RENAMO]] in the [[Mozambican Civil War]].{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1p=752|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2p=243}} In February, Castro visited Algeria and then Libya, where he spent ten days with Gaddafi and oversaw the establishment of the [[History of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi#Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1977–2011)|Jamahariya system of governance]], before attending talks with [[Yemeni Socialist Party|the Marxist government]] of [[South Yemen]]. From there he proceeded to Somalia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Angola where he was greeted by crowds as a hero for Cuba's role in opposing apartheid South Africa.{{sfnm|1a1=Quirk|1y=1993|1pp=759–761|2a1=Coltman|2y=2003|2pp=243–244}} Throughout much of Africa he was hailed as a friend to national liberation from foreign dominance.{{sfn|Quirk|1993|p=750}} This was followed with visits to East Berlin and Moscow.{{sfn|Quirk|1993|pp=766–767}}