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From: Compañero <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2000 9:36 PM
Subject: [Cuba SI] Fidel on his 74th, Party Platforms, Cuba Tour, Granma...
Published Monday, August 14, 2000, in the Miami Herald
Party platforms on Cuba
The following are the two major parties' platform planks on Cuba:
REPUBLICAN
``In Cuba, Fidel Castro continues to impose communist economic controls and
absolute political repression of 11 million Cubans. His regime harasses and jails
dissidents, restricts economic activity, and forces Cubans into the sea in a
desperate bid for freedom. He gives refuge to fugitives from American justice,
hosts a sophisticated Russian espionage facility that intercepts U.S. government
and private communications, and has ordered his air force to shoot down two
unarmed U.S. civilian airplanes thereby killing American citizens.
``U.S. policy toward Cuba should be based upon sound, clear principles. Our
economic and political relations will change when the Cuban regime frees all
prisoners of conscience, legalizes peaceful protest, allows opposition political
activity, permits free expression and commits to democratic elections. This policy
will be strengthened by active American support for Cuban dissidents. Under no
circumstances should Republicans support any subsidy of Castro's Cuba or any
other terrorist state.
``Republicans also support a continued effort to promote freedom and democracy
by communicating objective and uncensored news and information to the Cuban
people via U.S. broadcasts to the captive island. Finally, Republicans believe that
the United States should adhere to the principles established by the 1966 Cuban
Adjustment Act . . .''
DEMOCRATIC
``We aim to rededicate ourselves to the defense of democracy in the Americas at
a moment when it is being brought into question in Peru and absent on the island
of Cuba. . . . We will continue to press for human rights, the rule of law and
political freedom.
``To accomplish this, we need the right tools. Al Gore and the Democratic Party
support continued funding for the National Endowment for Democracy, Radio
Liberty, Radio Europe, Radio Free Asia, Radio Marti, and other efforts to promote
democracy and the free flow of ideas.''
=======================================
2nd TOUR OF CUBA
October 5-17, 2000
The African American Cultural Society and the Caribbean
American Children Foundation, Palm Coast, Florida, are leading
another breathtaking trip to our brothers and sisters in Cuba (see
report).
tour.gif (9746 bytes)
FLIGHT SCHEDULE:
Depart: Nassau International Airport
October 5, 4:00 pm
Return: Havana International Airport
October 17, 2:00 pm
COST:
$1400 double occupancy.
Add $150 for single occupancy.
Cost includes: round trip airfare, tourist visa, lodging, breakfast
and dinner, tour bus and guide, emergency health insurance, entrance
fee to most
museums.
Not included: Airport tax in Bahamas ($20) and Cuba ($20), lunches,
gratuities and optional activities.
maceo.jpg (7920 bytes)
Visit a school, day care center, institution for the mentally
retarded,
university, hospital and a research center.
Tour General Antonio Maceo's home and square, San Juan Hills,
museums, the runaway slave monument and emancipation site,
churches, historic landmarks, and the location of the 1898
Spanish American naval battle.
Visit an English speaking Caribbean immigrant community
Tour 500 year old Trinidad and old Havana, Hemingway's home,
José
Martí Square
. . . . and much, much more.
APPLICATION AND FULL PAYMENT IS DUE BY SEPTEMBER 15.
Contact Alberto Jones: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
===============================================
AUGUST 13, 14:35 EDT
Castro Speaks on His 74th Birthday
By ANITA SNOW
Associated Press Writer
HAVANA (AP) - A
politically recharged President Fidel Castro marked his 74th birthday
Sunday with a speech to a graduating class of health care workers -
communist Cuba's new ambassadors to the developing world. ``These
Cuban health care workers will leave an indelible imprint as they
travel around the world, providing their services and sowing medical
schools in other lands,'' Castro said at the ceremony. ``Today, it
gives us immense satisfaction to take part in the graduation of 4,000
new members of the glorious contingent of professionals who bring
such honor to the homeland.'' With the exception of greetings
delivered to Castro by several speakers at the graduation, there was
no public birthday celebration Sunday. But Castro, born Aug. 13, 1926
in the eastern Cuban town of Biran, would seem to have much to
celebrate this year. The Cuban leader recently won a major political
victory with the return of 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez to Cuba after a
protracted fight with the child's Miami relatives, who fought to keep
him in the United States. Over seven months, the man who has ruled
this communist island for 41 years mobilized tens of thousands of
Cubans almost daily in mass gatherings demanding the child's return
to his homeland. While many here grew weary of the rallies, Castro
was able to increase interest in politics among the nation's youth,
who he hopes will carry on his communist ideals after he is gone. The
international missions by health care workers appear to be another
strategy for spreading Cuba's message of socialism. ``Today, we have
22 medical schools and over 67,000 doctors,'' Castro said Sunday at
the graduation in a plaza in front of the U.S. Interests Section, the
American mission here. Currently, there are about 1,700 Cuban health
workers completing international missions, according to Cuba's state
media. Earlier this year, Castro promised to dispatch as many as
3,000 doctors to developing nations, saying the program ``could save
at least 1 million lives each year in Africa.'' Two Cuban doctors
defected recently while on an international mission in Zimbabwe. The
two - Leonel Cordova Rodriguez, 31, and Noris Pena Martinez, 25 -
were granted refugee status and flown to the United States last week.
The doctors first sought asylum several months ago. During the
process, they said, they were kidnapped by Zimbabwean security
officers, who helped Cuban diplomats force them onto a flight to
Havana. Air France refused to let them board during a stopover in
South Africa after the doctors slipped a note to a crew member saying
they were kidnap victims. Cuba said the doctors betrayed the medical
mission to aid Zimbabwe's health service but denied any involvement
in the alleged kidnapping. Without referring specifically to that
case Sunday, Castro criticized ``imperialist'' nations that ``offer
money and make all kinds of promises to our doctors, hoping to bribe
them into defection and treason, heedless of the lives that would be
lost as a result.''
=======================================
4000 NEW DOCTORS, DENTISTS AND NURSES GRADUATE AT
THE JOSE MARTI
ANTI-IMPERIALIST TRIBUNAL TODAY, AUGUST 13
Breathing his dreams
. President Fidel Castro sums up the emotive and simple ceremony
BY MIREYA CASTAÑEDA (Granma International staff writer)
PRESIDENT Fidel Castro affirmed today that, in the sphere of health,
Cuba has become a moral giant from which is emanating a new,
humane
concept of what medical services should be.
President Fidel Castro personally presented diplomas to the most
outstanding medical graduates
Fidel shared with the graduates, their professors and families the
profound emotion he felt in a recent meeting with highly-qualified
medical professionals from modest origins and all ethnic
backgrounds
about to return to The Gambia after a brief vacation.
This graduation ceremony on Fidel's birthday, and thus a date of
much
significance on the island, began with a learned speech from
Professor
Dr. José Jordán, president of the Scientific Societies, who has been
practicing medicine for 56 years. Jordán offered a synthesis of
those
who were able to study medicine and their possibilities on the
island
prior to 1959, when only the University of Havana had a faculty; the
desertion of 3000 of the 6000 doctors practicing at the triumph of
the
Revolution; the abolition of private practices in 1962; and the
creation of new faculties to reach the point of "the brilliant
harvest
of today."
The most outstanding graduates also spoke: Betania Flores, a nurse
from Pinar del Río; Zunilda García, a doctor from the Isle of Youth;
and Yudith Aucar, a dentist from Camagüey.
The president himself presented diplomas to the outstanding
graduates
of 2000 who are leaving for the mountainous areas of Guantánamo,
and
to those of 1999 who, having concluded their labors in those same
locations, are now bound for Haiti, on account of their decision
"only
to place our talents at the service of the homeland."
Fidel additionally presented graduate diplomas to outstanding
students
from the Sancti Spíritus, Pinar del Río and Havana Faculties of
Medicine, as well as their affiliates: Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Villa
Clara, Ciego de Avila, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma,
Santiago
de Cuba, Guantánamo and the Higher Institute of Military Medicine.
Luter Castillo, a young student from the Mosquitía region of
Honduras
at the Latin American School of Medical Sciences, affirmed that he
and
his more than 3000 comrades are fully aware of what that project of
that school-Fidel's idea-represents for saving his compatriots'
lives.
Hassan Pérez, president of the Federation of University Students
(FEU), and Carlos Dotres, minister of public health, also addressed
the graduates who will be taking to the Cuban people and others the
most sacred of human rights, that of health, as they expressed it.
Various professional and amateur musical groups interpreted songs
such
as "Te seré fiel" (I will be true to you) {'Within me and in any
latitude/on the border of my land and skin'}, and one dedicated to
the
president on his 74th birthday, sung by Kiki Corona.
Entitled "Fidel, August 13," its verses speak of the "perceived
merit
of your life," "animating boldness," "course of faith," "your way
will
be illuminated," "faithful to the legend," "blessed with honor," and
an exceptional man whose dreams-like the new medical graduates-
"we
go
on breathing."
**************************************************************
LASERPUNCTURE - A new medical alternative
BY LILLIAM RIERA (Granma International staff writer)
MILLENIAL Chinese techniques for alleviating and curing a wide
range
of ailments have grown immensely in popularity in Cuba, where they
have been applied some years now with promising results in distinct
fields of medicine.
Without any doubt, some of these very ancient techniques, such as
floral therapy, homeopathy and acupuncture are contributing to an
improved quality of life for many patients who have not responded to
laserpuncture conventional treatment.
Located in the Vedado district of Havana, the specialist Asciepios
polyclinic offers duodenal consultations in traditional and natural
medicine. A growing number of people are attending the clinic
seeking
relief from rheumatism, ulcers, migraine, circulatory disorders,
hypertension and even stress.
However, the Asciepios has its own specialty. Dr. Guillermo Beltrin,
a specialist in Health Administration and Traditional and Natural
Medicine, informed Granma International that they have also been
applying laserpuncture for the last three years. This technique uses
lasers at acupuncture points for the treatment of duodenal ulcers,
which currently have a higher incidence in the population than
gastric ulcers.
In Cuba, peptic ulcers (gastric and duodenal) affect 10% of the
population aged 35 to 54, with a slight predominance in the male
population.
Dr. Beltrin recounted that he was aware from foreign literature on
the subject that this type of treatment was used in the former
Soviet Union to eliminate pain and aid healing in duodenal lesions.
That prompted him to run a project on the island, bearing in mind
that surgical lasers and the soft (low-power) variety were being
used
in the country for the treatment of various ailments with
satisfactory results. Soft lasers were often employed in sports
medicine physiotherapy.
In coordination with the Institute of Gastroenterology, from January
to August 1997 he conducted an experiment covering 28 randomly
selected patients aged from 15 to 70, who presented ulcers with
diameters ranging from 0.5-2 centimeters.
The patients, whose conventional treatment was dropped, were
divided
into two groups, one of which was treated with acupuncture and the
other with laserpuncture, "which is more aseptic and painless and
less stressful," Beltrin noted.
The results were satisfactory and very similar in both groups. Using
lasers at acupuncture points clearly demonstrated its effectiveness
as opposed to other valid traditional treatments. "The pain was
eradicated and healing and overall improvement were marked," the
specialist affirmed.
***********
from: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[MORE THAN A WEEKLY]
[BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] August 10,
2000
VARADERO INTERNATIONAL'S 50TH BIRTHDAY
A Playa Azul museum?
BY TONI PI"ERA (Special for Granma International)
LIKE a sentinel that has stood watch over the most coveted sandy
fringe of the Icacos peninsula for the last five decades, the Gran
Caribe chain's legendary Varadero International hotel has just
completed 50 years in business.
Sand, sea, flowers, dense vegetation and, above all, much history
surround Playa Azul's emblematic installation. To the north, the
warm, clear waters of the tropics are bordered by a beach so
beautiful it almost seems to have been touched by God's hand:
Varadero in Matanzas, some 130 kilometers from Havana.
Like the trees growing in this terrain, a fertile area for tourism,
huge installations have been "born" in recent times, with capricious
styles, appealing colors and other characteristics of contemporary
architecture... However, the International (as it has been known for
years) continues to rule supreme in its domain. With its five
elegantly styled floors, in a construction style which, from a
distance, resembles an transatlantic ocean liner with its "funnels"
on top, it is enveloped in an majestic aura, because it is
different.
It's preferred by many tourists who come to Varadero due to its
character of a beach hotel with an urban touch; in fact it's the
only one whose balconies (81 of the 163 rooms) almost "touch" the
Caribbean at this beach, given that those constructed more recently
could not be built so close to the sea. The gifts of nature to be
found there are complemented by the hospitality of its 316 workers,
whose treatment gives additional points to a hotel offering a wide
range of options.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
Benigno Hueso, the hotel's public relations representative and an
employee for more than 15 years, recounted that the origins of the
hotel's appearance are said to date back to a visit made to Varadero
by William Liebow. This wealthy man, of Jewish origin, went to the
beach area hoping to stay at the Kawama hotel, but was unable to do
so, since his ethnic background emerged when he checked in.
Apparently he swore to build the best hotel in the area there. Hence
the International, built at a cost of 3.5 million pesos (an official
figure given at the time).
Before the Revolution the mafia stayed there, bringing all types of
corruption and vice. The hotel workers were always in conflict with
the owners and there were many strikes resulting from their
conditions, which caused a lot of unrest. However, during its
legendary 50 years, many outstanding personalities from various
sectors of society have stayed at the hotel, leaving their mark on
the institution: the Indian Raj, famous singers, Hollywood screen
stars... and after the Revolution, many more. The hotel is to
celebrate its 50th anniversary precisely on December 24.
Frank Hurtado Toledo, the hotel's general manager for the last three
years and with much experience in this sector, explained that the
International has undergone various renovations: a major
refurbishment in 1983, and subsequently in '91, '93 and 1999. "This
last renovation took four months to complete and was carried out by
workers from the Lenin and Emprestur contingents. The hotel
reopened
on December 16. It was completely redesigned so as to capture the
elegance which has always characterized it". In the 50's there was
an attempt to give it a contemporary ambience: the furniture was
made in Italy, while the decorative details are Spanish. Good taste
has recreated the original hotel in a way that exudes its best
moments.
Tourists can encounter both nostalgia and the most modern there.
This is demonstrated by the fact that, including during the low
season, the hotel has an occupation rate of up to 82%. The main
markets for visitors are Germany, Canada, France, Spain, Argentina
and Mexico. There is also an increased number of tourists from
Sweden and Norway. Working in tourism? The general manager
says it
is like that of an artist, like a labor of hospitality that never
pauses. Sunday is no different from Monday and one has to work
every
day so that tourists enjoy themselves and feel at home, the greatest
aspiration.
COMPLETELY MANAGED BY CUBA
In 1991 the Caba-as del Sol (a 154-room all-inclusive installation)
was incorporated into the International, making up the four-star
Varadero International Hotel Complex, totally managed by Cuba
without foreign advisors. It contains various bars, two swimming
pools, La Trovatta pizzeria, a barbecue grill, the Panorama
cafeteria, the Antillano restaurant-buffet, the Universal restaurant
and the Continental cabaret, where the show includes a gala dinner
and a late discotheque. This cabaret has the highest national and
international prestige in Playa Azul, given that the finest
exponents of Cuban culture have appeared on its stage. Currently
playing is "To the rhythm of the drum," choreographed by Andr*s
Gutierrez.
Its beautiful architecture and comfortable interior, dominated by
spacious lounges overlooking the sea, are other distinctions of the
Varadero International hotel, which is also a Playa Azul museum and
a bastion of culture. "From 1995," Benigno Hueso affirmed, "we have
tried to make the International a place where guests can enjoy the
sun and the beach, but also have access to Cuban culture in all its
nuances." For that reason the complex has an active relationship
with the Cuban Union of Authors and Artists (UNEAC) in Matanzas
province. It began with a small gallery space where the work of
artists from Matanzas and other provinces was displayed and, since
1997, the hotel has hosted the International Varadero Visual Arts
Exhibition, coinciding with the hotel's anniversary. But is not only
a venue for visual artists, as UNEAC also cooperates with the hotel
to bring the best in national music to tourists. All of this so that
culture is included in the dimension of tourism.
*******************************************************************
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The current events in La Republica de Cuba...
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