Mandela Draws First Catcalls of U.S. Tour for Pro-Castro Stand

A weary Nelson Mandela drew the first hostile crowd of his U.S. tour today, counterdemonstrations of supportive blacks and angry Cubans who denounced his pro-Castro stance.

As the demonstrations went on outside a hall, Mandela thanked trade unionists inside for their help during the anti-apartheid movement’s “greatest pain and anguish.”

“Behind the thick prison walls we could hear your voices calling for our release,” Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison, told about 6,000 members and guests of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Mandela’s 20-minute speech was delayed five minutes while delegates and guests chanted “Keep the pressure on, Keep the pressure on.”

The 71-year-old deputy president of the African National Council, arrived in Miami late Wednesday to a cool reception that was in sharp contrast to the pomp and ceremony that has greeted him in the four U.S. cities he has previously visited.

Local Cuban-American politicians, angered over Mandela’s refusal to condemn Fidel Castro in a televised interview last week, refused to extend official greetings or offer the traditional key to the city.

Outside the convention hall where Mandela gave his speech, about 1,000 predominantly black supporters and some 200 Cuban-Americans lined up on the opposite sides of barricades to cheer and jeer him as he arrived.

The two groups were kept well separated by mounted police but traded verbal insults and shook their fists at each other.

Police avoided inflaming the situation by whisking Mandela into the building through a side entrance.

Local black leaders had urged blacks to show up, to counteract the snub by city officials

The protesters carried signs accusing Mandela and the ANC of being communist.

Some signs read “Mandela, go home” and “Mandela is a friend of Castro.” Overhead, several small planes trailed banners expressing pro- and anti-Mandela sentiments.

However, after being welcomed at the convention by waves of cheers and applause, Mandela made no mention of the protests and thanked Miami for its “warm greeting.”

He urged the American labor movement to continue its financial support of the anti-apartheid struggle.

Mandela asked for the labor leaders’ continued financial and emotional support.

“We are on the verge of a historic breakthrough. We are about to open a new phase in the history of our country precisely because the international community has continued to say no to apartheid.

“Our dream is a united, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa. Our demand is full democracy for all. On this we remain firm and inflexible.”

Following the speech, Mandela left Miami for Detroit aboard a charted Trump jetliner. There had been reports that Mandela had changed his plans and would make a public appearance at an afternoon rally in predominantly black Liberty City section of Miami, but his schedule would not allow it.