From the archives: Che Guevara on U.S.-Cuba relations in 1964

Major Guevara, in your speech to the General Assembly day before yesterday, you accused the United States of helping Cuba's neighbors prepare new aggression against her.

We, in turn, have often accused your government of abetting subversion in other Latin American countries.

Do you see any way out of this situation, any way to improve relations?

I think with regards to solutions, there are solutions, and I think there is only one.

We have said repeatedly to the government of the US that we do not want anything but to forget us, that they do not consider us even for good or evil.

From New York City, face the nation.

A spontaneous and unrehearsed news interview with Ernesto Che Guevara, Cuban Minister of Industry.

Major Guevara will be questioned by CBS News United Nations correspondent Richard C. Hartlett, Ted Schultz of the Washington Bureau of the New York Times, and CBS News correspondent Paul Niven.

Major Guevara, you said a moment ago you would simply like us Americans to forget Cuba.

Your speech the other day suggested that you can't forget us.

You consider us a hostile government 90 miles away.

How can you expect us to forget you?

I didn't say exactly that I expected to forget us.

You asked a solution.

And I said, what was the solution in the present moment?

If it's possible or not, that's another question.

On several opportunities recently, Premier Fidel Castro has suggested in interviews with visiting newspaper men and on other occasions that a new effort be made to normalize relations between Cuba and the United States, particularly in the field of trade and exchanges.

As an economist,

Do you feel yourself that the resumption of relations of this nature would be useful or welcome for Cuba?

In other words, would you like to see the relations normalized?

Not as an economist, because I have never considered myself an economist, but only an official of the Cuban government as another Cuban.

I think harmonious relations with the U.S. would be very good for us from the economical point of view more than in any other field.

Because all our industry has been established by the US and primary products and repair parts that we have to make with much difficulty or to bring from other areas could come directly.