>from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Havana Radio news/views July 26,27 > Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - July 2000 > >*FIDEL HIGHLIGHTS SIGNIFICANCE OF MONCADA GARRISON 47 YEARS > AGO >*ALLEGED CUBAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS IN VENEZUELA >*MOST OUTSTANDING LEADER OF THE 20th CENTURY: FIDEL CASTRO >*RICARDO ALARCON MEETS WITH PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVANISTAS >*CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL OFFER THEIR SERVICES IN CAMBODIA >*THROUGHOUT BRAZIL, ACTIVITIES IN SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA >*CUBAN-AMERICAN ALLIANCE EXPRESSES ITS SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA >*SANTIAGO DE CUBA CELEBRATES 485th ANNIVERSARY >*Viewpoint: G7+RUSSIA SUMMIT: LOTS OF GLITTER BUT NO > SUBSTANCE > > >*FIDEL HIGHLIGHTS SIGNIFICANCE OF MONCADA GARRISON 47 YEARS >AGO > >Havana, July 25 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro >participated in Monday's roundtable discussion -- broadcast >live on Cuban radio and television -- concerning the July >26th 1953 attack on the Moncada military garrison and its >significance for the Cuban Revolution. > >Fidel Castro complemented the roundtable's historical >analysis of the rebel attack on the Moncada, with a number >of previously unknown details surrounding the organization >and execution of the assault. The Cuban leader said that >the attack was the necessary spark that ignited >Cuban consciousness to action, turning what was initially a >military setback into a revolutionary victory six years >later. > >The Cuban leader examined in detail the difficult >circumstances under which the young revolutionaries >prepared for the assault 47 years ago, attacking dictator >Fulgencio Batista's second largest and most powerful >military barracks, located in Santiago de Cuba. > >Panelists pointed out that Fidel Castro, in opting to >defend himself at his trial following the defeat at >Moncada, turned his accusers into the accused. Standing >before the military court and delivering what would become >known as his famous defense speech entitled "History Will >Absolve Me," Fidel issued an impassioned indictment of the >abject poverty and state-sponsored violence in which Cubans >were forced to live, and in which many Latin Americans >still live today. > >The Cuban leader noted that the march scheduled for this >Wednesday morning, July 26th, will be both bigger than >previous demonstrations and more significant than the >historic Moncada attack, which gave birth to the >Cuban Revolution. He called on all Havana residents to >participate in the popular mobilization and affirmed that >this year's July 26th commemorations will mark the >beginning of the battle to end the U.S. blockade of Cuba. > > *ALLEGED CUBAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS IN VENEZUELA > >Havana, July 25 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has >issued an official statement concerning the alleged >presence of Cuban intelligence agents in Venezuela. >According to the statement, last July 21st -- just nine >days before presidential elections in Venezuela -- a >sensationalist news item appeared. The story, bordering on >the scandalous, reported that Cuba had deployed 1500 >intelligence agents in that sister nation to >"indoctrinate" Venezuelan civilians and members of the >military. > >How jealous the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency must have >been. With tens of billions of dollars, stated the Cuban >leader, the CIA would never be capable of such a feat. >Fidel Castro said there is no doubt: once again Miami's >Cuban-American mafia, following its colossal blunder with >the kidnapped six-year-old boy that resulted in such an >enormous defeat for them, is now involved in a new and >ridiculous outrage with its allies and friends in >Venezuela. > >The Cuban leader asked who it is they want to hurt and who >do they want to help with this maneuver? Naturally, the >Venezuelan people -- who do not let themselves be easily >fooled -- know why this absurd, desperate and >cynical charge has surfaced. > >Cuban President Fidel Castro went on to say that although >the objective is obviously not to harm Cuba -- steeled in >the fight against all types of mercenaries and criminals at >the service of those who the Venezuelan people know well -- >the fact that an effort is launched to deceive "the few >idiots remaining in this world, to use our country as an >instrument to influence Venezuela's political process on >the eve of important elections, gives us the right to issue >this statement." The Cuban leader made reference to >the alleged Cuban intelligence official in Venezuela -- >Juan Alvaro Rosabal Gonzalez - who, according to news >cables, defected and then heralded the story about the 1500 >Cuban agents. After providing the age, place of birth, and >other personal data, Fidel Castro said that Rosabal >Gonzalez finished his basic studies before age 20, is never >known to have held down a job and was involved in criminal >activities -- arrested in 1992 for theft and >cattle rustling. > >In 1997, Rosabal Gonzalez traveled to Venezuela at the >invitation of a citizen of that country. President Fidel >Castro said Rosabal Gonzalez's attorney, Ricardo Koesling >-- with close ties to Miami's ultra-right wing Cuban- >American National Foundation -- knows the rest of the >story. > >The Cuban leader said now Koesling is announcing that there >are another five defectors from the phantom army of Cuban >intelligence officials. Cuban President Fidel Castro said >that if the attorney is trying to make money with this >story, Cuba will pay him one million dollars if can prove >the existence in Venezuela of just one of the alleged 1500 >Cuban agents. > > *MOST OUTSTANDING LEADER OF THE 20th CENTURY: FIDEL CASTRO > >Havana, July 25 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro will >be awarded the Benito Juarez International Award for being >the 20th century's most outstanding leader and greatest >defender of the people's sovereignty. > >Sponsored by 270 organizations from over 23 countries, the >Benito Juarez Award was created in 1987 on the occasion of >the 75th anniversary of the African National Congress. The >award is granted to the most prominent leader in the fight >for peace, self-determination and sovereignty. > >The Benito Juarez International Award has been previously >granted to personalities such as Nelson Mandela and Nobel >Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu. > >According to Bertha Zapata -- who is heading a Mexican >delegation in Havana that will present the award to Fidel >Castro on Wednesday, July 26th -- the leader of the Cuban >Revolution is "one of the most outstanding figures in the >fight for the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America, >confronting this century's largest empire." > > *RICARDO ALARCON MEETS WITH PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVANISTAS > >Havana, July 25 (RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo >Alarcon met with members of the 10th Pastors for Peace >Caravan in Havana on Monday. During a lively discussion, >Alarcon referred to historic aspects of U.S.-Cuba relations >and the attempts by successive U.S. administrations, since >1959, to destroy the Cuban Revolution. > >Ricardo Alarcon also discussed the efforts being made by >Cuba to overcome the criminal and genocidal economic >blockade imposed on the island by Washington. > >The leader of the Cuban Parliament met with the >caravanistas at the headquarters of the Cuban Institute of >Friendship with the Peoples, ICAP. Earlier in the day, >members of the Pastors for Peace caravan toured the Latin >American School of Medicine, located on the outskirts of >Havana -- where nearly 2000 medical students from Central >America and the Caribbean are studying free-of-charge. > > *CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL OFFER THEIR SERVICES IN CAMBODIA > >Havana, July 25 (RHC)-- The first group of Cuban medical >personnel have left for Cambodia -- offering their services >free-of-charge in the Asian nation. > >Some 1700 Cuban health specialists are working in 13 >countries around the world as part of the island's integral >health plan. Cambodia is the first Asian country where >Cuban doctors are being sent; medical personnel >are currently working in eight Latin American and Caribbean >countries and five African nations. > >By the end of this year, 2500 Cuban specialists will be >serving in 20 countries -- providing health services in the >most remote areas of each country. > >Meanwhile, Cuban physicians are teaching future doctors of >the Third World at Havana's Latin American School of >Medicine, where nearly 2000 medical students are studying >free-of-charge. > > *THROUGHOUT BRAZIL, ACTIVITIES IN SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA > >Rio de Janeiro, July 25 (RHC)-- Activities in solidarity >with Cuba are being held throughout Brazil on the occasion >of the 47th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada and >Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Garrisons, which sparked >the beginning of the Cuban people's struggle against the >Batista dictatorship. > >The Jose Marti Cultural Association in Rio de Janeiro is >sponsoring a conference to discuss the historic events that >took place in Cuba on July 26, 1953. > >Another event will be held on Thursday, with the >participation of important Brazilian union leaders. > >In the city of Porto Alegre, activities include a dinner >celebrating the date and the inauguration of an art >exhibition. A documentary video entitled "Cuba Files Suit >against the U.S. Government for Human Damages" will also >be shown as part of the activities. > > *CUBAN-AMERICAN ALLIANCE EXPRESSES ITS SOLIDARITY WITH >CUBA > >Havana, July 25 (RHC)-- Members of the Cuban-American >Alliance, an organization based in the United States, >continue their visit to the island with the objective of >expressing solidarity with the Cuban people. > >The group met on Tuesday with representatives of Cuba's >Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation. >Later, the delegation visited Old Havana. > >On Monday, the Cuban-American Alliance delegation met with >the director of the Cuba Office at the Foreign Ministry, >Jose Cabanas, who thanked the group for their support in >the struggle to return six-year-old Elian Gonzalez. Cabanas >also expressed appreciation for the group's continued work >to end Washington's blockade against the island. > >They also met with representatives of Cuba's Foreign >Ministry, the National Assembly and the University of >Havana and discussed the situation on the island, relations >between Cubans living in the United States and Cubans >on the island, and ways to help end the criminal U.S. >economic blockade. > >The delegation is scheduled to visit Matanzas and Varadero >later this week, where they will meet with tourism >officials and get a first-hand look at one of the island's >most important economic sectors. > > *SANTIAGO DE CUBA CELEBRATES 485th ANNIVERSARY > >Santiago de Cuba, July 25 (RHC)-- Santiago de Cuba is >celebrating its 485th anniversary with the inauguration of >some 20 social and economic projects. > >Book sales and art exhibits are being held throughout the >eastern Cuban city as part of activities to celebrate >another anniversary of the city. And a cultural gala was >held Monday evening at Santiago de Cuba's Heredia Theater. > > *Viewpoint: G7+RUSSIA SUMMIT: LOTS OF GLITTER BUT NO >SUBSTANCE > >The recently held Summit of the G-7 plus Russia will be >best remembered for its elegance rather than for taking >concrete steps to reduce the ever-growing gap between the >rich and the poor. > >It is common knowledge that the leaders of the world's most >industrialized nations -- the United States, Canada, Japan, >Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and to a degree, >Russia -- met over the weekend on the Japanese island of >Okinawa in a 750,000,000 dollar enclave. It wouldn't be >a surprise that such a luxurious feast appear in the next >edition of the Guinness Book of World Records as "The Most >Expensive Summit in History." Needless to say, so much >money would have been better spent had it been earmarked to >alleviate hunger in Africa. Worse still, the G-7 countries >have once again missed a unique opportunity to solve urgent >problems which threaten the very existence of the human >race. > >Jubilee 2000, a group of international NGOs pressing for >the suspension of the Third World foreign debt, stated that >a pledge by U.S. President Bill Clinton -- to donate >300,000,000 dollars for school breakfasts in underdeveloped >nations -- is a small, rather insignificant step. >Jubilee 2000 director in the United Kingdom, Ann Pettifor, >warned that U.S. aid would be of no use if the children to >whom the relief is earmarked cannot go to classes because >their families lack the necessary resources to pay >the school fees imposed by the International Monetary Fund. > >The seven most industrialized nations and Russia have >supposedly committed themselves to helping poor nations pay >their foreign debts -- the same old promise of the summits >held in 1997, 1998 and 1999. It is worthless that only nine >countries have benefited from the initiative to suspend the >debt of the poor -- a Foustian bargain involving a >multitude of neo-liberal reforms including the >privatization of key sectors, resulting in the elimination >of the socio-economic net, basic food and >transportation subsidies and full employment measures, >among other economic shocks, which few Third World nations >are prepared to absorb. > >The G-7 group also agreed to help underdeveloped nations >gain access to new technology and improve their educational >and health systems -- an empty promise in light of the fact >that the very neo-liberal reforms they propose only serve >to dramatically raise the costs of health care and >education. > >Judging from the exuberant amount of wealth and resources >in the hands of the world's industrialized capitalist >class, it is little surprise that the gap between words and > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
