CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA October 20, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Monday, October 20, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO POINTS TO LOCAL ELECTIONS AS FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE ISLAND'S DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM 2.- HEROIC GUERRILLA / COMANDANTE ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA: REPERCUSSIONS STILL BEING FELT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD 3.- PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA ARRIVES IN HAVANA FOR OFFICIAL VISIT 4.- U.S. BUSINESSES FORCED TO `STAND "ON THE SIDE-LINES" 5.- RALLY IN LONDON PROTESTS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF CUBA 6.- PANAMANIAN LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 7.- NEW CUBAN VACCINE AGAINST BREAST CANCER BEING TESTED 8.- CUBA HONORS SCIENTISTS WORKING ON AIDS VACCINE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO POINTS TO LOCAL ELECTIONS AS FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE ISLAND'S DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM Havana, October 20(RHC)-- Upon casting his vote Sunday in local municipal elections, Cuban President Fidel Castro said the electoral process "has further strengthened the island's democracy." In the first round of elections, nearly eight million Cubans elected 14,533 candidates to municipal assemblies, with an average voter turn-out of more than 95 percent. The Cuban leader pointed out that in 1992, Cuba also established a direct and secret ballot for the country's provincial assemblies and National Assembly of Popular Power, in which all the candidates are proposed by the electorate, and not by the powerful, or by costly and complex political machineries. Comparing Cuba's electoral system to that which existed before the Revolution, President Castro recalled that elections in the pre-revolutionary past were like carnivals, in which numerous political parties waged virtual wars against each other, "making promises quickly forgotten." "Elections in today's Cuba," said the Cuban leader, "leave no space for competition or demagoguery." He said the political model in which politics is a business enterprise reserved for those with money and power can still be seen in numerous countries that adhere to what Washington considers a democratic system. But, said Cuban President Fidel Castro, "there can be no democracy without justice, without equality and without an education system to which the entire population has access." "There can be no democracy," he stressed, "in a class system where potential voters are sleeping in the streets, where only 50 percent of the electorate bothers to cast their ballots and where it costs hundreds of millions of dollars to run for office." HEROIC GUERRILLA / COMANDANTE ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA: REPERCUSSIONS STILL BEING FELT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD Havana, October 20(RHC)-- Even after the official mourning period for Argentinean-born, Cuban internationalist Ernesto Che Guevara has concluded on the island and the funeral ceremonies for Che and his comrades-in-arms have ended, repercussions are still being felt throughout the world. In Madrid, the daily "El Pais," one of the most influential newspapers in Spain, carried a full report in Saturday's edition on Cuban President Fidel Castro's speech Friday in Santa Clara. The Spanish daily also gave coverage to Cuba solidarity actions in other parts of the world. In Vietnam, the daily "Hanoi Moi" carried the headline "Huge Tributes to Che in Cuba and the World" -- while the daily "Quang Doi Nhan Dan" published photos of the funeral ceremonies and tributes. Vietnamese television also broadcast extensive reports over the weekend on the life of Ernesto Che Guevara, including documentaries and biographical videos. In Managua, the Nicaraguan daily "Barricada" hit the streets this weekend with a front-page story on the funeral ceremonies in Santa Clara and a report on the visit to Cuba of Daniel Ortega, leader of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, who attended the funerals as a special invited guest. Even the right-wing daily "Tribuna" -- the newspaper owned by Nicaragua's ruling Liberal Party -- was compelled to run a story and accompanying photos of the tributes to Comandante Che Guevara. Rio de Janeiro's "Jornal do Brasil" carried ample coverage of yesterday's massive ceremonies in Cuba, while the Venezuelan press -- including the dailies "El Universal," "El Nacional" and "Ultimas Noticias" -- ran photos and, in some cases, nearly full-page articles over the weekend on the life and work of Cuba's Heroic Guerrilla, Ernesto Che Guevara. PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA ARRIVES IN HAVANA FOR OFFICIAL VISIT Havana, October 20(RHC)-- The President of Botswana, Ketumide Masire, arrived in Havana over the weekend to begin a four-day visit to the island. Welcomed by Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina upon his arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, the leader of Botswana told reporters that his visit will include talks on bilateral socio-economic interests. Cuba and Botswana established diplomatic relations nearly 20 years ago -- in December 1977. A number of students from Botswana are studying in Cuba and there are presently 156 Cuban doctors and teachers serving in the African nation. Botswana, which has a population of 1 and a half million, is located in southern Africa and shares borders with Angola, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. U.S. BUSINESSES FORCED TO `STAND ON THE SIDE-LINES" Washington, October 20(RHC)-- Another U.S. business executive has complained about Washington's blockade of Cuba. In the U.S. capital over the weekend, Peter Blyth -- the president of a powerful tourism consortium -- said the blockade against Cuba "has failed politically, economically and commercially." Blyth is President of the Radisson Hospitality Worldwide firm, forming part of the group of Carlson companies that operate 5000 travel agencies and some 1000 hotels, tourist installations, cruise ships and restaurants. He pointed to what he called "Cuba's important tourism potential, with a two-digit annual growth rate," while at the same time the Cuban government adopts laws to streamline the sector's growth and foreign investment. Blyth complained that as other nations take advantage of Cuba's new foreign investment opportunities, "the United States has to stand on the sidelines." RALLY IN LONDON PROTESTS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA London, October 20(RHC)-- More than two hundred people gathered in London's Hyde Park on Saturday to demand an end to the U.S. blockade of Cuba. The rally was sponsored by Britain's Cuba Solidarity Campaign. At the rally, Steve Wilkinson of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Pastors for Peace Coordinator and Catholic Priest Father Jeffrey Bottoms and Labor Party Deputy Jeremy Corpyn harshly criticized the U.S. government's hostile policy toward Cuba. Speakers condemned Washington's brutal blockade, which has caused shortages of many items like medicine and food. Protesters in London urged British authorities to push for compliance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Washington's blockade against the Caribbean island. The rally was also attended by representatives of several Cuba Support Committees from all across Britain. PANAMANIAN LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, October 20(RHC)-- A Panamanian legislative delegation is in Havana for meetings with their Cuban counterparts. Heading the delegation is the President of the Permanent Commission on Education, Culture and Sports from Panama's National Assembly, Enrique Riley. The legislators will discuss new legislation by Washington to tighten the economic blockade of Cuba. During the inter- parliamentary meeting, the lawmakers from Cuba and Panama will also tackle issues of bilateral interest, such as the investment promotion and protection agreement and as well as cooperation in the area of health care. NEW CUBAN VACCINE AGAINST BREAST CANCER BEING TESTED Havana, October 20(RHC)-- A new Cuban-made vaccine against breast cancer is already being tested on humans. The head of the Vaccine Division of Cuba's Molecular Immunology Center, Doctor Luis Enrique Fernandez, told reporters that the new immunotherapy has no preventive use. Dr. Fernandez said the vaccine is aimed at halting the metastasis process in advanced tumoral stages. Cuba's Molecular Immunology Center also announced that in cooperation with Tokyo's Gerontology Center, Cuban experts have also reached the conclusion that the new vaccine could also be highly effective in treating skin cancer. CUBA HONORS SCIENTISTS WORKING ON AIDS VACCINE Havana, October 20(RHC)-- Two Cuban scientists have received recognition for their efforts in developing a vaccine against AIDS. Doctor Emilio Carpio and Doctor Maria Rocha have been awarded with the National Health Prize, for their studies on monoclonal antibodies used in the vaccine against AIDS. The research is an important tool in the development of a vaccine against the so-called "Disease of the Century," -- a priority of the Cuban scientific community. Cuba's Genetic Engineering Center, the National Laboratory of Reference for Diagnosis and the Pedro Kouri Tropical Institute are putting together the scientific knowledge and resources to develop a vaccine against AIDS. [c] 1997. Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. 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