Cuban President Fidel Castro visited with former President Balaguer, former President Juan Bosch and the widow of former Partido Revolucionario Dominicano leader, the late Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez, Peggy Cabral on Sunday. While then President Balaguer did not renew diplomatic relations with Cuba, which were interrupted in 1962, the many-time Dominican statesman legalized the Dominican Communist Party and permitted covert trade with Cuba by Dominican businessman. Democratically elected, former President Juan Bosch spent exile time in Cuba after being overthrown by conservative forces, later aided by 20,000 U.S. Marines, who feared another communist Cuba in the Caribbean. President Leonel Fernández, Bosch’s successor, joined Castro at Bosch’s home during the meeting. Castro reminisced with Bosch for some 50 minutes. Bosch’s wife, Carmen Quidiello was born in Cuba. Former President Balaguer described himself as an admirer and a somewhat ally of Castro. He met with Castro for 50 minutes at his home in Santo Domingo shortly after Castro had visited Bosch. Present at the meeting was Cuban Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Robaina and some Reformista directors and close aides, including Aníbal Páez, Licelotte Marte de Barrios and General Pérez Bello. The front pages of the leading newspapers carried the photograph of Castro and Balaguer, two legends of Latin American politics, sitting side by side. Castro also paid a courtesy visit to Peggy Cabral, the widow of Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez, leader of the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano. They conversed for about 10 minutes, the press reported. Castro later that morning met with the leaders of the PRD, Tony Raful, Ramon Alburquerque, Miguel Vargas, Fafa Taveras, Tirso Mejia Ricart, Ivelisse Pratts de Pérez, Hector Aristy and Marino Mendoza at the Hotel Jaragua, which was headquarters of the Caribbean Summit.
