Jose Luis LlovioMenendez

Virtually everyone who has come into contact with Fidel Castro marvels at his profound abilities as a speaker. Trained as a lawyer, he can speak for hours with the utmost confidence on virtually any topic. Although he often goes off on tangents during his speeches, Castro almost always relates them to the main topic in such a way that illuminates rather than confuses. A number of foreign observers have remarked that most Cubans, even working-class ones, are surprisingly articulate. Some attribute this fact to Cuba's excellent education system, while others give credit to the almost-daily exposure Cubans get to Castro's oratory. Most observers agree that Castro's speaking skills are a major reason for his continued popularity with the Cuban people.

Jose Luis Llovio-Menendez fought as a guerrilla in the revolution and served as a high-ranking bureaucrat in...