FEELINGS ABOUT CUBA'S POLITICAL SITUATION RAN HIGH IN SAO PAULO LAST MONDAY.HUNDREDS OF BRAZILIANS GATHERED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY TO DEMONSTRATE FOR OR AGAINST PRIME MINISTER CASTRO'S REGIME.

ANTI-COMMUNIST STUDENTS PARADED THROUGH THE STREETS WAVING BANNERS READING "FIDEL IS A DONKEY", "VODKA FOR CUBA, FIREWATER FOR BRAZIL".ONLY ONE PRO-CASTRO SPECTATOR ATTEMPTED TO INTERVENE AND A RUNNING FIGHT ENSUED.POLICE ARRESTED THREE STUDENTS FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE.

THE PRO-CASTRO SUPPORTERS - FIVE-HUNDRED STRONG - MET IN A CITY HALL TO DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT FOR THE "CUBAN SOLIDARITY CONGRESS", A BRAZILIAN GROUP SAID TO BE AIMED AT UNITING ANTI-AMERICAN GROUPS AND PROMOTING SUPPORT FOR BRAZIL'S "HANDS-OFF-CUBA" POLICY.

THIS MEETING STARTED FORTY MINUTES LATE AND ENDED AN HOUR EARLY DESPITE A CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD TO REORGANISE THE LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AS "THE UNITED SOVIET STATES OF LATIN AMERICAN".