Cuban leader lands in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- (AFP) -- Cuban President Fidel Castro arrived in Barbados late Friday for a two-day state visit, the second stop on a tour aimed at building better relations with Havana's Caribbean neighbors.

The Russian-built Cubana Airlines jet bringing Castro and his entourage touched down at the Grantley Adams International Airport three hours late because of a delay leaving Jamaica.

Amid tight security and overcast conditions, Castro received a warm welcome from Barbadian officials, including Prime Minister Owen Arthur and Foreign Minister Billie Miller.

He was scheduled to have a private meeting with Arthur before heading for his first engagement -- a meeting with the Barbados-Cuba Friendship Association.

Castro's visit has evoked mixed reactions among Barbados' 260,000 people. Some callers to radio talk shows voiced support for Castro in his struggle with the United States, particularly the U.S. economic blockade.

Other callers, however, came out against the visit, citing alleged human rights abuses in Cuba and questioning Castro's planned participation in a ``Walk for Freedom'' early today to celebrate the end of slavery on the island.

Castro's other major public engagement is a ceremony to unveil a memorial to the 73 victims of a Cubana Airlines DC-8 aircraft that was blown up off the island's west coast in 1976 in a terrorist attack attributed to Cuban exiles.

Castro leaves Barbados on Sunday for Grenada, a former Cold War ally of Cuba where he will spend two days. The three-nation Caribbean tour is another sign of flourishing relations between Cuba and its neighbors, despite continuing U.S. efforts to isolate the Communist-ruled island.

These are Castro's first state visits to Barbados and Grenada, although he visited Barbados informally in 1994 to take part in a United Nations conference on the sustainable development of small island developing states.

Earlier Friday, Castro wrapped up his visit to Jamaica by giving a hug to Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.

Castro looked well for his 71 years, although his head and hands shook a bit during a press conference in Kingston.