WASHINGTON -- Of all Latin American politicos who have rubbed elbows with Fidel Castro of late, perhaps none has spent as much time with him as Cesar Gaviria, secretary general of the Organization of American States.
First there was the late-night gab session in La Paz, at the 1993 inauguration of Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Losada. A pajama-clad Gaviria opened his door late one night to find a surprise caller: Fidel.
The meeting led to a seminar in Cartagena, Colombia, for Castro and his aides on political and economic reform.
Then there was the 1995 Ibero-American Summit in Argentina. Gaviria, a former Colombian president, turned down an offer from his successor, Ernesto Samper, for the long flight home. He flew back on Castro's plane.
``Yes, I'm a friend of Fidel Castro,'' Gaviria told CBS-Telenoticias talk show host Jaime Bayly last month.
Likes Castro's role
``One must recognize that Fidel has done a supremely important job on social issues such as health, education and eliminating [racial] discrimination . . .'' he added. ``I admire the way in which he fought to topple the dictatorship of [Fulgencio] Bati sta, and the effort he has made to keep the revolution alive.''
Gaviria said in that interview that he would like to see greater freedoms on the island, but added, ``Personally, I'm convinced that the revolution is very well entrenched among the Cuban people.''
Aides say Gaviria harbors a dream of making his mark as secretary general by presiding over Cuba's reintegration into the OAS, which suspended Cuba in 1964.
Gaviria says it's not that simple. True, he believes the problem of Cuba can be solved with some creative diplomacy. But he was dismayed by Havana's Feb. 24 downing of two exile planes, and suggests that action and the subsequent hardening of foreign positions toward Cuba thwarted his designs.
``I felt very upset about the shooting down of the planes and the [reversal] that caused in resolving the problem,'' Gaviria told The Herald.
Still, Gaviria thinks it is foolish for friends of the Cuban people to ignore Castro as an essential part of any resolution.
``I particularly think it's very difficult to solve the problem with Cuba just putting aside Fidel Castro. I think he is critical for a pacific and gradual solution that should be the aim of everyone.''
A personal favor
Gaviria called on that personal friendship earlier this year when his brother, Juan Carlos, was kidnapped by guerrillas inspired by Havana. After Castro sent an emissary to arrange for the abductors' safe passage to Cuba, Gaviria's brother was release d unharmed.
Cuban-American lawmakers voiced outrage at the deal and said that Gaviria had compromised the OAS by becoming personally beholden to Castro.
In a Capitol Hill luncheon that was supposed to be a polite affair, an angry Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, called on Gaviria to resign, accusing him of ``dereliction of duty.''
Gaviria aides and some OAS envoys fumed that the encounter showed a lack of respect for someone of his stature. But Gaviria said he was not troubled by the incident.
``Not at all.'' Remember, he added, ``I used to be a politician.''
News of Cuba welcome
Gaviria continues to devour news of Cuba, though he denies accounts by two aides that he has dedicated a staffer to monitoring the island.
Should he attempt to bring Cuba back into the fold, he can expect to cause friction with his most ardent supporter, the Clinton administration.
Harriet Babbitt, the U.S. ambassador to the OAS, said an unreformed Cuba would be a misfit at the table of democratic nations.
``I can't imagine that a government with a Marxist-Leninist salute in its constitution is going to make the cut,'' she said.
Herald staff writer Andres Oppenheimer contributed to this report.
Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald