Is Castro smart? How else could he have lasted these 39 years against the mightiest country in the world? (One in our group attempted to "debate'' him on a relatively esoteric matter involving Italian politics; Castro clearly knew more.)

Think -- or hope -- he might be ill? Wishful thinking probably. Trim at age 72. No tremors. Vigorous voice. Stamina? After four hours nonstop -- supposed to be answering journalists' questions, but really making speeches -- he took a 10-minute break. He stood a bit stiffly, but who wouldn't? ("I am no longer 20 years old!'' he said, smiling.)

For all six hours he was flanked by three of Cuba's most powerful people -- Ricardo Alarcon, Carlos Lage, and Roberto Robaina -- each with essentially no role in the proceedings. In Cuba's "star system,'' there is only one "star.''

Castro rules a nation with more than a full share of misery. In five days our delegation from the American Society of Newspaper Editors saw mostly poor Cubans -- and some well-off tourists. Having lost $5 billion annually in Soviet subsidies, Cuba struggles. This is a nation propped up by revolutionary rhetoric and repression, tourist dollars, and an annual $800 million in remittances sent mostly by Cubans in the United States.

Having made earlier reporting trips to Cuba, in 1990 and 1995, I could see some differences this time: Almost no prostitutes on the street, due to a very recent crackdown. More luxury hotels in Varadero and Havana (where you will be stiffed, big-time and in big dollars, on phone calls and meals). Fewer '50s-era cars; more late-model European and Japanese cars.

And the same? Most everything else, especially the poverty.

Michael Kozak, in charge of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, told us: He sees no present movement toward a more-open economy and political system . . . that street crime is up (though still less than elsewhere in Latin America) . . . that the embargo "is not going to force Fidel to change.'' What "we really worry about is not the explosion when Fidel is here. ... The day he goes, whether it's tomorrow or 10 years from now, there will be real political chaos.''

Castro admits, as do others in Cuba, that this country's dual economy -- where some are compensated in dollars and the less fortunate in pesos -- is a "very painful'' system and added: "We would have preferred never to establish these differences.''

The U.S. embargo -- what he calls the "blockade'' -- was Castro's constant theme. "We will never accept any terms or conditions from the United States,'' he said. "The blockade must end unconditionally, or it can last forever.''

He denied that Cuba was ever a "satellite'' of the Soviet Union but rather always its own "small star.'' He contrasted the U.S. treatment of communist China with communist Cuba -- his nation's 11 million people vis-a-vis the billion of China, "a big country with a huge market.'' The United States, he said, has "assumed the role of Goliath, and we of David. The world will always favor David.'' (He also noted the recent and overwhelming United Nations vote against the embargo.)

Some other people we met and what they had to say:

Roberto Robaina

The foreign minister. Mr. Style. Black jacket, sleeves pushed toward the elbows. Black T-shirt. Black trousers. Black loafers. Black watchband. No socks.

He is the phrasemaker: "You have come to a country that does not generate indifference. We are loved with a passion, or hated like hell.'' And: "We are not as bad as they say we are. We are not as good as we want to be.''

Robaina called himself "always optimistic. Life has taught us to be optimistic. We have a lot of patience.''

He bragged about Cuba's increasing diplomatic relations with other countries. "In the last four years, Cuba has established relations with 42 countries.''

Jaime Ortega

Cuba's cardinal and a man who operates in a tight space. He wanted most of what he said to be "off the record.'' But he did say:

Only 3.5-4 percent of Cuba's population attends Sunday Mass, but that number has grown greatly these past few years; indeed, he said, perhaps 75-80 percent of children these days are baptized Catholics. He said that he met twice with Castro in June and is optimistic that Christmas will be declared a national holiday for the second year in a row.

"The people believe,'' the cardinal said, "that their lives would be better if the embargo were lifted. They also want economic reforms. And they are afraid of a traumatic change.'' He hoped for "a peaceful road'' to the future.

As we departed, one in our group asked the cardinal: "Do you pray for Fidel?''

The answer: "Oh, sure. He needs it!''

Oswaldo Paya

A Catholic and a dissident, he leads the Christian Liberation Movement.

"The Pope's January visit created expectations -- and frustrations.'' Paya expected "an opening with the government, and that has not happened,'' though he has seen some "greater space for the church'' this year. He thought that Cardinal Ortega, while "in a very difficult situation,'' nonetheless needs to push harder.

"We have a right to the rights,'' he said. "We have become a society of rich and poor, where the rich have the power while they are telling people, `Socialism or death.' ''

Raul Rivero

The best-known dissident journalist in Cuba. His work frequently appears in this newspaper.

I last saw him in 1995, and his situation now appeared to be better. Though he has been arrested since -- mostly harassment for a few hours or a few days -- he has seen change, especially since the Pope's visit this year. "The police are more decent.''

Roberto Diaz Sotolongo

The justice minister came across as the consummate bureaucrat, a man who couldn't say anything in a few words.

He cited judges elected by the people and said that Cuba has achieved "one of the most independent systems of justice in the world.'' It was a moment of high chutzpah in a country with an international image of injustice.

Citing our own vigorous democracy, I noted how common it is in my own country for people and the press to say all sorts of things about our own President. Could that happen in Cuba? Could someone say, "Down with Castro''? No, responded Diaz Sotolongo. "The people would not allow it.'' He spoke about "a system overwhelmingly supported by the majority of the people,'' and later said: "The people will not allow the media to denigrate the people they have elected.''

This is not a democracy.

Jose Luis Rodriguez

The minister of economy and planning. He's a key architect of the national economy, which grew 2.5 percent last year and will be fortunate to be even 1 percentage point higher this year.

"We need a rate of growth of 4-6 percent a year'' to sustain the future, he said.

Foreign investment is crucial. Foreign companies, he said, have invested $2.2 billion over these past eight years. But that "investment'' is not how we would define it. Cuba owns all the property. The "investor'' operates it and shares profit with the government.

Acknowledging the disparities of Cuba's two-tier economy, he also emphasized "a public-health system free to all, a low infant-mortality rate, practically no illiteracy, and free education to all.'' And: "Here you will not find people dying of starvation or lying in the streets.''

Ricardo Alarcon

The president of the National Assembly and the principal high-level face and voice to U.S. journalists.

He saw "not much room'' for changing the U.S.-Cuban relationship. The U.S. Congress now has the real power. "There are,'' he said, "very clear constraints'' on President Clinton.

Ricardo Alarcon spent much of his time in a detailed defense of the shooting down of the two Brothers to the Rescue planes on Feb. 24, 1996. The United States, he said, had been warned repeatedly by Cuba of what he called "provocations'' and could have prevented the incident. "Post facto, the U.S. took action to prevent such incidents.''

Osmany Cienfuego

The minister of tourism and the brother of Camilo Cienfuegos, Castro's early comrade-in-arms who was lost in a mysterious plane crash off the coast of Cuba. Almost 40 years later, the conspiracy theorists still think that Castro, nervous about his own hold on power, did him in.

Almost 1.5 million tourists will come to Cuba this year, he said, and two million by the year 2000. The five leading countries of origin are: Canada, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. Tourism has become Cuba's No. 1 source of income.

He acknowledged the "inequality'' of a dollar-vs.-peso economy, adding: "If we had another way to go to grow, we might do so.'' It's "a reality we have to face. The economic benefits are unquestionable.''