>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba amasses respect. We believe in our struggle. > [MORE THAN A WEEKLY] > [BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] May 2, 2000 > > A SPECIAL MARCH FOR A SPECIAL DAY > They amass money, we amass respect > > THIS is not a country where presidential candidates have to >collect millions in order to finance their election campaigns. Here >in Cuba, leaders such as Fidel Castro amass only affection, >admiration and respect, said Hassan Perez, president of the >Federation of University Students (FEU), during an open rally held at >the Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Tribunal outside the U.S. Interests >Section in Havana. > >This same location, where the Cuban people have been demonstrating >since early last December for the return of Elian Gonzalez, also >marked the end point of the Havana march held in celebration of May >Day. The march, which was headed by President Fidel Castro, followed >a route of more than five kilometers. > >Along the central avenue of G Street in Vedado, the dense crowds >marched to the area of the Malecon in a sea of Cuban flags and >banners, many of which were carried by young people and children in >the arms of their parents. > > With the sun at its peak, Fidel arrived accompanied by >personalities invited from various nations. Although temperatures >soared sufficiently to test the solidarity of even the most hardy >individuals, none of the hysterical acts of the Miami fanatics were >to be seen. "They will spend their money in vain," said Hassan Perez, >"because they will never be able to break the strength of our >principles." The FEU leader continued by remarking that the U.S. >government has yet to learn to respect its people. > > Scientist Agust'n Lage, director of the Center of Molecular >Immunology, said that the real reason for U.S. politicians' hostility >towards Cuba is that they want to block the enormous potential of the >island�s socialism for the development of democracy. > > He continued by remarking that the Europe that had condemned Cuba >in the Human Rights Commission was not the same Europe that was seen >in the Paris Communes or the Spanish Republic. He added that there >are many Europeans who love Cuba for the example it sets. > > "Why doesn't Lazaro Gonzlez worry more about the attacks of fury >hi> Transfer interrupted! > >instead of worrying himself so much about Elian?" questioned Leonel >Parra, a young FEU official based in the west of the country. > > His colleague Tamara Rosell- commented that "Juan Miguel has put >the shine back into Elian's eyes." She went on to note that the case >of Elian is not an isolated one, as is presented to the U.S. public. >It forms part of the political policy of senators like Jesse Helms >who continue to harass Cuba because of the example it sets, while >refusing to offer any help to Haiti, the poorest country in the >continent. > > Without throwing any stones or burning any flags, as happened in the >street protests of the Miami fanatics, the people of Havana took over >the streets with their moral principles. > > "Revolution means changing everything that needs to be changed," >said Fidel. He added that Cubans enter this new century with new >strength to continue modifying the many things that must be >transformed, so that humanity survives the next millennium, and above >all so that children like Elian don't lose the shine from their eyes >nor be deprived of their culture and roots. > > ************** >sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba -We believe in our struggle. Argentina > [MORE THAN A WEEKLY] > [BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] May 3, 2000 > We believe in our struggle > > Cubans send a message to the world on International Workers' Day > >* More than five million people fill the country's principal squares >and streets >* Visitors from other countries condemn those who voted against Cuba >in Geneva -BY ALDO MADRUGA (Granma International staff writer) > > AS always in Cuba over the past 40 years, the celebration of >International Workers' Day this May 1st was a testament to >unity, conviction in the chosen path and, above all, confirmation >that social justice, a reality in Cuba and possible throughout the >world, represents the principal objective of the world's people. > > In the historic Jose Marti Revolution Square in Havana, Fidel >Castro presided over the crowds. These multitudes were repeated in >all of the other main squares, avenues and streets of the country >and numbered a total of more than five million. It was another >irrefutable demonstration that Cubans remain firmly convinced of >what they want for their country. > > Throughout the island, people sent a message to the world based on > >their rich and diverse culture. Performers, dancers, musicians and >poets filled the air with their songs, poems and anthems, inspiring > >the crowds with their truth and beauty. > > In Havana, Pedro Ross, general secretary of the Central >Organization of Cuban Trade Unions (CTC), compared the energy >displayed by the populace during the day with that shown during the >mercenary invasion of the island in 1961, which resulted in a severe >blow to the United States' obsessive dreams of destroying the >Revolution. > > Representatives and fighters for justice from other parts of the > >world came to speak. Chilean Gladys Marin, who was the first citizen > >of her country to accuse General Pinochet of murder in court, gave a > >verbal lashing to the governments that had had the nerve to accuse >Cuba of human rights violations, while their own countries have been > >plagued by murders and cases of disappeared persons. > > "Cubans have always supported Chile and we will never forget the > >solidarity you gave in defense of the human rights of our people, of > >the thousands of Chileans who were imprisoned, brutally tortured, >burned, exiled, illegally detained, disappeared or executed during >17 years of dictatorship," said the general secretary of the Chilean > >Communist Party. > > U.S. trade unionist Gloria La Riva recalled the determination and > >resolution with which Cubans had taken to the streets in the battle > >to free Elian Gonzalez and said that she believed it had contributed > >to bringing the day closer when Miami and the United States would be > >free of the anti-Cuba extreme right. > > The shameful actions of the Miami lunatics have opened the eyes of > >millions in the United States to the existence of the infamous Cuban > >Adjustment Act, something of which they were previously unaware, she > >pointed out. > > At the end of Fidel's strongly applauded speech, the leader of the > >Revolution was handed a cellular telephone with a call from Juan >Miguel Gonz�lez, father of the child being arbitrarily held in the >United States, who wanted to send greetings to all his compatriots >on International Workers' Day. > > SHAME IN ARGENTINA > > "In my country, human rights are violated every day, workers are > >beaten, people die of hunger, murders are ruthlessly committed, >prisons are concentration camps. What human rights is our government > >speaking of when it condemns Cuba?" asked Hebe de Bonafini, on >behalf of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina, when she >addressed the crowd led by Fidel. > > She added that Argentine grandmothers and mothers are ashamed of > >their government's vote in favor of the anti-Cuba resolution in the > >Human Rights Commission because, in reality, it was done to >accommodate the United States. > > De Bonafini denounced the fact that in her country almost eight >million people are marginalized and she stated that Cuba is the only > >road to freedom for the peoples of Latin America and the Third >World. > > She recalled that the Argentine dictatorship had been responsible > >for 30,000 disappearances, 15,000 executions, 1.5 million exiles and > >thousands of imprisonments, in the face of which the mothers had >stood rock firm. > > Visibly moved, she said that their children had given their lives, > >which is the best of what they had to make a people happy, and the >day that a revolution takes place in Argentina they will be, as they > >are today, in every flag raised in Cuba, in every human being who >struggles, in every child who knows what he wants. > > The representative of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo blamed >political parties for playing with death, for refusing to punish >murderers, for lying and being corrupt. "They are to blame for what > >is happening and for the existence of savage capitalism, and we are > >tired of the fact that there is no punishment for those who are >guilty of murder," she stated. > > Argentine author Adolfo Perez Equivel, who won the Nobel Peace >Prize while imprisoned for fighting against crime and social >injustice in his country, expressed his regret over the recent >injustice committed against Cuba at the Human Rights Commission, >resulting from U.S. pressure and the dishonorable actions of some >government leaders. > > "We have to live on our feet and not on our knees," he said. "We >have to live with dignity and happiness and work together for Latin > >American unity. Many of the evils we have today exist only because >we still don't have that unity. We have to build unity among the >peoples of Latin America," he continued. > > Claudia Camba, his compatriot and author of the letter (published >in this edition) condemning the Argentine president for yielding to > >U.S. pressure in Geneva, reported that on the very same day that the > >Argentine representative * hypocritically voted against Cuba, the >Argentine government had ordered savage beatings of workers >demonstrating outside the Congress in defense of their rights. > > ABOUT GRANMA INTERNATIONAL ONLINE >Spanish | French | Portuguese | German | Italian | Javier Sotomayor | >Magazines � Copyright. 1996-1999. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. GRANMA >INTERNATIONAL/ ONLINE EDITION > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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