CUBA: Tension

Cuba was tense. New President Ramon Grau San Martin, elected last June by an honest vote, used his popular mandate like a machete. He retired many of Cuba’s swaggering Army officers, announced he would also eliminate Cuba’s cherished botellas (literally, bottles—soft government jobs). Some Cubans were disgruntled, talked of impending revolution. In Havana there were sporadic shootings.

But President Grau knew that he had public opinion behind him, and the tacit support of the U.S. Last week, when disturbances continued, Grau went to one source of the trouble. He fired Havana Police Official Donoso, jailed numerous policemen who had been suspected of brutality and killings during the Batista regime. At the same time. Grau warned the troublemakers to settle their differences in court. Eduardo Chibas, Government leader in the Senate, who has a flair for the dramatic, announced: “The President has taken personal command of the maintenance of order in Cuba.”

Two policemen were shot to death last week in midtown Havana. This time Grau really did take command, canceled all gun licenses, ordered all civilians disarmed. Cuba breathed more easily.