>Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 04:00:26 -0500 >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-21 November 2000 > >Radio Havana Cuba-21 November 2000 > >Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 21 November 2000 > > . > >*CUBA PETITIONS PANAMA FOR EXTRADITION OF LUIS POSADA CARRILES > >*DELEGATION FROM CHINESE PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH CUBAN AUTHORITIES > >*FIRST LADY, FOREIGN MINISTER OF PARAGUAY CONTINUE VISIT TO CUBA > >*MAYOR OF GLASGOW BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT > >*ANGOLAN TOURISM MINISTER ARRIVES IN CUBA > >*BODEGUITA DEL MEDIO VOTED BEST FOREIGN RESTAURANT IN FRANCE > >*ROUNDTABLE ON 10th IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT and TERRORIST PLOT > >*Viewpoint: US ELECTORAL CRISIS AN INSTITUTIONAL PROBLEM > > . > >*CUBA PETITIONS PANAMA FOR EXTRADITION OF LUIS POSADA CARRILES > >Panama, November 21 (RHC)-- Cuba has petitioned Panama for the extradition >of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. Cuban Attorney General Jose Antonio Sosa >made the announcement late Monday following a six-hour gathering in Panama >City with members of that country's National Security and Defense Council. > >Sosa told local media outlets that Cuba has 60 days to formalize criminal >charges against Posada Carriles. Panamanian police have confirmed that >besides Posada Carriles, Cuban Gaspar Jimenez is also under arrest. Jimenez >entered Panama on November 16 with a U.S. passport issued in Puerto Rico >under the name of Manuel D�az. > >Cubans Pedro Remon Posada, Guillermo Nomo, Cesar Matamoros and Panamanian >Jose Hurtado -- Posada Carriles' chauffer -- have also been detained. The >large quantity of plastic explosives, confiscated by Panamanian authorities, >was reportedly discovered in Hurtado's residence. > >Cubans Nomo and Jimenez apparently have criminal records in the United >States linked to the possession of explosives and other crimes that have not >been specified. The Cuban attorney general said that Panama can also bring >charges against those arrested for planning to assassinate Cuban President >Fidel Castro. An unidentified source in the Panamanian judiciary has >asserted that the detainees can be charged with the illegal possession of >explosives and falsification of documents. > >In related news, the government of Cuba has offered to help Honduras >investigate Posada Carriles' possible use of Honduran territory for weapons >trafficking. > >The Cuban Foreign Ministry has clarified Honduran authorities have nothing >to do with the trafficking of weapons. Meanwhile, the Central American Human >Rights Defense Commission has expressed indignation over the use of >Salvadoran territory as a base of operations of groups responsible for >terrorist attacks against Cuba. Since October 1999, Cuba has turned over >several documents to Salvadoran authorities on the movements of Posada >Carriles, who he gathers with to plan terrorist actions and where -- in this >case the Trapiche restaurant in the Salvadoran capital owned by a Colombian >whose last name is Robles. > > >*DELEGATION FROM CHINESE PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH CUBAN AUTHORITIES > >Havana, November 21 (RHC)-- A visiting delegation from the Chinese >Parliament met on Monday evening with Cuban Minister without Portfolio, >Ricardo Cabrisas, and Deputy Foreign Relations Minister Jose Guerra >Manchero. The representatives of Cuba and China discussed issues of common >interest, such as the current state of bilateral cooperation and Cuba's >economic development. > >Headed by Li Shu-Zheng, vice president of the Chinese General Assembly's >Foreign Affairs Commission, the delegation arrived in Havana on Saturday at >the invitation of the Cuban Parliament. > >Li Shu-Zheng pointed to the ties of friendship that unite the peoples of >Cuba and China. She told reporters that both peoples share the same >principles, ideals and convictions. > >During their stay on the island, which runs through Wednesday, the visitors >will meet with other Cuban officials and tour the Jose Marti Memorial >Havana's Revolution Square as well as the Latin American School of Medicine. > > >*FIRST LADY, FOREIGN MINISTER OF PARAGUAY CONTINUE VISIT TO CUBA > >Havana, November 21 (RHC)-- On Tuesday, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Juan >Esteban Aguirre and the country's First Lady, Susana Galli, continued to >fulfill their agenda of visits and meetings with Cuban authorities. Aguirre >met with Cuban Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Marta >Lomas, examining the possibility of expanding bilateral economic and trade >relations between the two countries. > >The wife of Paraguayan President Luis Angel Gonzalez Macchi visited the >William Soler Cardio-Center and the Latin American School of Medicine. > >On Monday, the Paraguayan foreign minister signed with his Cuban counterpart >four agreements on the granting of visas and the promotion of direct >cooperation between both foreign ministries and academies for diplomats. >Paraguay's foreign minister and first lady arrived in Cuba on Sunday, after >participating in the 10th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and >Government, held over the weekend in Panama. They plan to return to their >country on Wednesday on separate flights. > > >*MAYOR OF GLASGOW BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT > >Havana, November 21 (RHC)-- The mayor of the Scottish city of Glasgow, Alex >Mosson, began an official visit to Cuba. Mosson will sign with Cuban >authorities bilateral cooperation agreements in areas such as trade, culture >and education. > >The mayor of Glasgow is heading a delegation of Scottish business executives >interested in exploring investment opportunities on the island, especially >in the area of drilling and extraction of oil and natural gas. > >During their stay, which runs through Saturday, the Scottish official and >the delegation accompanying him will meet with Cuban authorities, including >Vice President Carlos Lage, Foreign Trade Minister Raul de la Nuez and the >Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Marta Lomas. > > >*ANGOLAN TOURISM MINISTER ARRIVES IN CUBA > >Havana, November 21 (RHC)-- Angolan Tourism Minister Jorge Alicerces >Valentin has arrived in Cuba for an official visit aimed at boosting >bilateral cooperation in the sector. > >Alicierces, who is accompanied by several officials from his ministry, >expressed his country's interest in Cuba's experience in tourism, >particularly the exploitation of tourist facilities. > >The Angolan tourism minister stated that Havana's cooperation with Luanda in >several sectors has always been very fruitful and that the Angolan people >have great respect for the people of Cuba. > > >*BODEGUITA DEL MEDIO VOTED BEST FOREIGN RESTAURANT IN FRANCE > >Paris, November 21 (RHC)-- The La Bodeguita del Medio in Paris, the French >capital, was proclaimed the best foreign restaurant this year. The >announcement was made in Paris during a ceremony held on Monday in the world >famous cabaret Lido. On hand were renowned personalities of France's >gastronomy and culture. La Bodeguita del Medio won the first prize among >some 12,000 other candidates. > >Managed by Cuba's "Gran Caribe" tourist chain, the traditional Cuban food >restaurant was inaugurated one year ago and its employees have worked hard >to create and maintain a genuine Cuban ambience, combined with an excellent >cocktail service. > >The restaurant's manager, Daniel Clerc, said he would dedicate the award to >the people of Cuba. > >The La Bodeguita del Medio in Paris maintains the same characteristics of >the original restaurant, located in Old Havana, which is considered to be >the place that tourists have to see while they visit the Cuban capital. > > >*ROUNDTABLE ON 10th IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT and TERRORIST PLOT > >Monday evening's round table discussion looked at some of the activities of >Cuba's president during the 10th Ibero-American Summit, held in Panama over >the weekend. The Ibero-American heads of State and government paid homage to >one of Panama's greatest leaders, the late Omar Torrijos -- who was a friend >of Cuba and among the most vocal defenders of the island's sovereignty. >President Fidel Castro was presented with the keys to the Panamanian capital >and met with students, labor leaders, workers, professionals and indigenous >peoples at the University of Panama. > >Among the agreements reached at the 10th Ibero-American Summit was a pledge >to find a fair solution to the problems of the foreign debt and the >desperate situation of children in Latin America. > >But the Panama summit was also a forum for charges, including one made by >the Cuban president when he revealed a plot to assassinate him during the >Summit. Shortly after a news conference held by the Cuban leader, >international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles was arrested by Panamanian >authorities. > >Guistino Di Chelmo, the father of Fabio Di Chelmo, the young Italian tourist >killed in a Cuban hotel in 1997 by a bomb attack planned by Luis Posada >Carriles, spoke on Monday evening's televised roundtable. "When I learned >from Fidel Castro in Panama about the capture of the main murderer of my >son, of my dearly beloved boy, my first desire was to ask for justice, from >the country where this criminal is now, that is, in Panama. > >I call on the president of Panama, Mireya Moscoso, not to let this killer, >who is in her country, go under any circumstances. I ask for justice, >nothing more. Turn this man without a soul over to justice. Don't let him >go. Turn him over to where he committed the crime so that he is tried here >in Cuba. He will be found guilty." Experts participating in the Round Table >revealed that through information supplied by friends of Cuba, on Sunday >afternoon Panamanian security forces found explosives in Panama City, which >were destined to be used in the assassination attempt against Cuban >President, Fidel Castro and that the Cuban government had not yet been >informed of the find. > >Salvadoran parliamentarian, Nidia Diaz, spoke by phone from San Salvador: >"The people of El Salvador are in solidarity with Cuba. They are proud of >Cuba and have relations with the island. Here, in El Salvador, our >government is a right-wing one, but it must give the Cuban people an >explanation, it also must respond to the Salvadoran people who are in >solidarity with Cuba. We are making sure that this situation is addressed by >President Flores and his administration. For example, news of the case of >Posada Carriles has come out on the front pages of all the newspapers. Here >in El Salvador, it is common knowledge that Luis Posada Carriles obtained a >Salvadoran passport as though it were nothing. There are people who knew he >was here and we must look into why we weren't informed." > >Towards the end of Monday evening's televised roundtable, Cuban Foreign >Minister Felipe Perez Roque gave a detailed report on the activities of Luis >Posada Carriles since last June, when he began to prepare to assassinate >Fidel Castro. He also gave a step-by-step account of Posada Carriles' >movements this month in Panama up until his arrest there. > >Perez Roque announced that on Monday, Cuba officially gave to Panamanian >Foreign Minister Jose Miguel Aleman a document that reiterates the request >made on November 18 that the terrorists arrested in Panama are kept in >prison as the first step in the request for extradition to Cuba for trial. > >The Cuban foreign minister noted that this latest request contains the real >name of one of the terrorists -- Gaspar Jimenez Escobedo. Perez Roque read a >document containing the long list of crimes against Cuba committed by >Jimenez Escobedo. He hopes the Panamanian government will take the necessary >measures to insure that the terrorists will not escape the law and that they >will present evidence sustaining Cuba's petition. Felipe Perez Roque: "To >everyone, in the name of our government, I want to express our assurances >that the government of Cuba, with the support of our people and >international public opinion, will demand justice. We will do everything >necessary to insure that these terrorists who have finally been arrested, >will not escape again. Cuban diplomacy, our country's legal authorities, our >leadership -- headed by Fidel Castro -- all understand the suffering of many >Cuban families who have the same right to receive justice for the murder of >their loved ones. And I believe that after hearing all this new information, >the Panamanian people and authorities -- who acted diligently and >professionally in arresting the terrorists over the weekend -- will >understand the interest our people have in this case. Families of the >victims are demanding justice. The international community understands that >there is sufficient evidence to try these assassins of innocent civilians." > >The roundtable discussion was broadcast live at 23:00 UTC on Cuban radio and >television as well as the international shortwave frequencies of Radio >Havana Cuba. > > >Viewpoint: > >*US ELECTORAL CRISIS AN INSTITUTIONAL PROBLEM > >The United States "democratic" system and its diverse operational mechanisms >go back more than 200 years and have always been presented to the world as a >sacred tradition that should be copied by everyone else. The system of >electoral votes that each state accumulates according to its size and >demographic make-up as well as its economic importance, has been questioned >but not really seriously considered a system worth changing. However, the >current situation in which a single state has become the key to winning the >presidential election has brought the whole U.S. electoral structure into >question and shaken the very foundation of the system which Americans >consider to be the best the planet has to offer. > >Although perhaps not yet evident to the rest of the United States, the >machinations currently going on in Florida are hardly new to those who have >monitored the extreme right wing anti-Cuba community there over the years. >Clear voter fraud and irregularities have often been the order of the day in >local elections, with this Cuban-American element of the population often >being found with its hand in the cookie jar. The importance of the state of >Florida in US presidential elections is determined by the high number of >electoral votes it contains. This importance is not lost on the extreme >right wing, which pours money into the coffers of those that support their >agenda in what is usually a successful attempt to control the state and thus >exert enormous influence in the White House and in Congress. In fact, right >wing anti-Cuba congressional representatives across the nation receive >important funding from organizations like the Cuban-American National >Foundation in Miami. These groups understand the power of money in U.S. >politics and take full advantage of the power they are able to buy. > >This so-called representative democracy has been proven to be anything but. >If George W Bush wins the election, he will do so while losing the popular >vote to Al Gore. Nonetheless, he will sit in the Oval Office. This has >happened before in U.S. presidential elections, where the winning candidate >has received fewer votes than the opposing candidate. > >The need for profound institutional reform of the United States electoral >system couldn't be more obvious. This is not a situation that is a one-time >aberration, as both main political parties would have us believe, but an >innate problem at the heart of the process. And given the power the >president wields from Washington over the rest of the globe, the need for >reform of this process should be of concern to us all. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. > >================================================================= > NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems > Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us > 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 > http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================================================= > >nytcari-11.22.00-03:59:57-16719 > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
