Washington became convinced that Fidel Castro threatened U.S. security and its economic plans as well as core values that he had to be stripped down to the government of Cuba. The regime's execution of bastianos, postponement of elections, calls for revolution in the whole of Latin America widened the gap between Havana and Washington. Castro stated: “What do Americans know about... a tyrant's atrocities except in the novels and movies?” When Castro visited the United States in April 1959 under the sponsorship of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Eisenhower deliberately ignored him by leaving to play golf.