JUAN GOYTISOLO
685
mally we talked about what
Libres
general orientation would be:
critical support of the Cuban Revolution, moral support for Allende,
opposition to the Franco regime and other military dictatorships, a
joint condemnation of North American imperialism in Vietnam and
Soviet aggression in Czechoslovakia, support for the democratic
struggle of countries in the Eastern Socialist bloc whose independence
seemed threatened, and freedom of artistic, sexual, and moral ex–
pression. Because of Garda Marquez's high opinion of Plinio , and
because of Plinio's close link with MAS, a Venezuelan group which
at the time was the most dynamic dissident political force in Latin
America, we rapidly decided that he would be our editor in chief.
In 1971 Cortazar and Vargas Llosa went to Cuba for the an–
nual reunion of Casa de las Americas in order to get the participa–
tion of the Cuban writers in
Libre.
But the Cubans were frosty to–
ward their proposal. After their return to Europe, hostile, alarming
rumors emanating from Cuba began to circulate about
Libre.
We
immediately decided to publish a statement in
Libres
first issue out–
lining the points we had already informally agreed to and pointing
out that we were an independently financed magazine. Our decision
was supported by Cortazar as well as by the group of Latin American
writers, so many of whom were now living in Barcelona.
In our first issue we published Mario Vargas Llosa, Julio Cor–
tazar, Octavia Paz, Jose Donoso, my brother, Luis Goytisolo, Car–
los Fuentes, and several previously unpublished pieces of Che
Guevara. Suddenly, many Latin American writers dropped by to
see us. The wives of several of the writers helped us run the office,
and we began to make plans for the Latin American distribution of
Libre.
Meanwhile, Severo Sarduy-through his connections at Seuil
-was arranging for our European distribution. My fears and anxi–
eties about embarking on such a project had been allayed; we all felt
optimistic. Then Albina suddenly was attacked for being the grand–
daughter of Patino and having inherited the "ugly Patino fortune."
Libre
was put on the defensive for receiving her modest support- a
matter which shouldn't have needed any justification at all. The next
bomb exploded when Plinio telephoned me: greatly alarmed, he told
me that Padilla had been arrested in Cuba .
Our worst fears had been verified. We felt a terrible sense of
impotence despite the many telephone calls from friends in Spain,
England, and Italy offering us their help .
Carlos Franqui suggested that I get in touch with Cortazar, in
whose apartment on Place du General Beuret we composed a discreet
