Havana, Jan 20 (AIN) There is no doubt that Cuba is in a transition period,one creating better living conditions thanks to the ongoing energy revolution, said Cuban President Fidel Castro on Friday.

During a televised appearance from Havana, the leader of the Cuban Revolution recalled the phrase he said in 1956 prior to his journey from Mexico to Cuba with 82 revolutionaries on board the Granma yacht to begin the liberation struggle: "We will be free or become martyrs."  He said he has always tried to meet his promises to the people.

In his detailed explanation about the transformations in the country's power system, Fidel announced he would address the nation again on Saturday evening to deal with issues such as new provocations by the US Interests Section in Havana. Another topic is the maneuvers of Cuban American ultra-right groups seeking the release of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, responsible for the 1976 in-flight bombing of a Cuban passenger plane.

Fidel said that President Bush has not yet been able to explain how Posada Carriles reached US territory, though he is already planning to release him from the immigration detention center where he is being held. He also denounced Washington's intentions to break bilateral immigration agreements.

As to reiterated intentions by Miami based groups to provoke a change in Cuba, Fidel Castro recalled the transformations experienced by Cuban society over the past few years as a continuation of the first changes implemented shortly after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

He recalled his words on April 21, 2005 when he announced the transformations to take place in the island's power sector and exhibited new domestic appliances to be distributed to the population.

Only ten months after that day, the transformations are yielding results and the new energy program continues to advance. Fidel said the nation stands to save one billion dollars annually.

He pointed out that in western Pinar del Rio province new generating capacity combined with energy saving measures have allowed for an expanded use of electricity at a lower cost. The use of gas or kerosene for kitchen needs has been virtually eliminated in Pinar del Rio and that will soon occur in Havana and Matanzas followed by all Cuban provinces, said the presiden.

(AIN) January 22, 2004