CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA July 22, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Tuesday, July 22nd, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- FORMER CIA AGENT SAYS LANGLEY PLANNED THE MURDER OF ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA AND CONTINUES TO WORK FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION 2.- SOLIDARITY MARATHON WILL OPEN THE 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS NEXT WEEK 3.- TOURISM IS STILL THE ISLAND'S NUMBER-ONE HARD CURRENCY EARNER 4.- CUBA PREPARES FOR INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 5.- SEVERAL BASEBALL PLAYERS AND TRAINERS SUSPENDED BY CUBAN BASEBALL COMMISSION FORMER CIA AGENT SAYS LANGLEY PLANNED THE MURDER OF ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA AND CONTINUES TO WORK FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION Havana, July 22(RHC)-- The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency killed Ernesto Che Guevara and has long tried to destroy the Cuban Revolution. In an interview published in today's edition of the daily Granma, former CIA agent Phillip Agee said "the CIA feared Che because of his ability to lead the armed struggle against repressive regimes in Latin America." The former U.S. intelligence officer is in Cuba as a special invited guest of the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. Phillip Agee told Granma newspaper that during the Festival, he will denounce Washington's plans to destroy the Cuban Revolution. Phillip Agee worked for the CIA in Ecuador, Uruguay and Mexico from 1957 to 1968. He said that CIA stations in the region give priority to information about Cuba and exert pressure on businesses to stop them from trading with the island. Agee added that the U.S. denied travel visas to youth wanting to attend the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students because Washington fears that young people will see the benefits that socialism has brought to the Cuban people. SOLIDARITY MARATHON WILL OPEN THE 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS NEXT WEEK Havana, July 22(RHC)-- A solidarity marathon will open the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. More than 10,000 people -- including 3500 delegates -- will take part in the solidarity race next Monday, just prior to the official inauguration of the Festival. Basketball and boxing matches will follow the marathon -- integrating Cuba's sports movement into the event's agenda. The arrival of Chilean and Paraguayan delegations has brought the number of delegates on the island to more than 1000. In related news, delegates from the Community of Independent States left the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Belarus and Kazajastan -- bound for Cuba. And for the first time in the history of the Festival movement, Palestinian young people will be present at a youth festival. The President of the Palestinian National Coordinating Committee, Ibrahim Horaise, said 100 young Palestinians will attend the event in Cuba. More than 100 members of the Puerto Rican Juan Rius Rivera Brigade worked with relatives of Argentinean-born internationalist guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara. Che Guevara's son Camilo and a group of comrades who worked with Che when he was Minister of Industry joined the Puerto Rican brigadistas in the fields outside of Havana. TOURISM REMAINS AS THE ISLAND'S MAIN HARD CURRENCY EARNER Havana, July 22(RHC)-- Some 580,000 visitors spent their vacations in Cuba during the first six months of 1997. Tourism Industry officials reported a 15.3 percent economic growth in comparison to the same period last year. Canada, Italy, France, Spain and Germany sent the most tourists. Meanwhile, tourism sources say the two bomb explosions that left three people injured and caused minor damages at two hotels in Havana earlier this month have not affected the normal flow of tourists. According to Deputy Tourism Minister Eduardo Rodriguez, "Cuba is the safest place on earth for tourists because of its political stability and its non-violent streets." Tourism generated revenues of more than a million dollars in 1996, becoming the island's number-one hard currency earner. CUBA PREPARES FOR INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Havana, July 22(RHC)-- International experts will meet in Havana from September 16th through the 20th to discuss the promotion of environmental education. The project is an initiative of Cuban authorities, whose main goal is to undertake concrete actions aimed at sustainable development. Participants at the upcoming congress will also share experiences on the best way to initiate environmental education in accordance with each nation's conditions. SEVERAL BASEBALL PLAYERS AND TRAINERS SUSPENDED BY CUBAN BASEBALL COMMISSION Havana, July 22(RHC)-- The Cuban National Baseball Commission has decided to suspend three trainers and one player for life due to inappropriate conduct. An official note published in this morning's Granma newspaper states that Jorge Luis Toca has been suspended for life from taking part in any sports competition. The note adds that the National Baseball Commission has proof that Toca had attempted to leave the country to become a professional player. The Cuban National Baseball Commission also confirmed that baseball trainer Orlando Chinea Valdes accompanied Jorge Luis Toca most of the time, aiding Toca in pursuing his aim, "instead of trying to educate, persuade and inspire Toca to be loyal to his homeland." The National Baseball Commission also decided to censure trainer Orlando Chinea Valdes and barred him from any competition or sports activity on the island. The note explains that the Commission has a well-documented file on violations of the stipulated norms and procedures on the part of several baseball players and trainers. The Cuban National Baseball Commission states: "The demand that athletes maintain an exemplary conduct leaves no other option than to impose strict disciplinary measures on trainers Pedro Jova Perez and Luis Gonzalez Alamo. These two trainers are in clear violation of their role as educators -- allowing contact and communications with elements disloyal to the principles of Cuban baseball." For their attitude and conduct, both Jova Perez and Gonzalez Alamo have also been barred from all sports events for life. The note which appears in today's Granma newspaper reports that athletes Eduardo Paret Perez, Osmany Garcia Santana and Angel Lopez Berrios will also be separated from their respective teams for an indefinite period of time, depending on their future conduct. The National Baseball Commission explains that these decisions were taken considering the seriousness of their actions and in order to defend the ethical, moral and patriotic principles of Cuban sports. Sports on the island are a source of pride for the Cuban people. The Commission adds that sports is one of the many achievements of the Cuban Revolution and demands from every athlete, trainer or sports official "an exemplary conduct, based on loyalty to their homeland." [c] 1997. Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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