CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA September 3 , 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Wednesday, September 3, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON ARRIVES IN CHILE FOR IBEROAMERICAN LEGISLATIVE MEETING 2.- ANGOLAN FOREIGN MINSTER WILL ARRIVE IN CUBA TOMORROW 3.- THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARED (FROM THE NEWS) BUSINESSMAN 4.- COMMUNITY MEETINGS GEAR-UP TO NOMINATE CANDIDATES FOR UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 5.- AUTHORITIES IN THE U.S. AND THE BAHAMAS REPATRIATE CUBAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS 6.- FOURTH BRAZIL-CUBA SOLIDARITY FLIGHT EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN HAVANA NEXT WEEK 7.- SECOND AFRICA-CUBA SOLIDARITY MEETING SET FOR LATER THIS MONTH IN GHANA CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON ARRIVES IN CHILE FOR IBEROAMERICAN LEGISLATIVE MEETING Santiago de Chile, September 3(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's Parliament -- the National Assembly of People's Power -- Ricardo Alarcon, is in Chile where he will attend a summit of Iberoamerican legislative leaders. The meeting, scheduled to begin Friday in the Chilean port city of Valparaiso, will run until Sunday, the 7th. Alarcon and the other legislative leaders will discuss parliamentary activities in Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Upon his arrival in Chile on Wednesday, the President of Cuba's Parliament said he was pleased to be taking part in the meeting as a full-member of the Iberoamerican community of nations. He recalled that last May, Cuba was invited to a similar meeting of legislators in Spain -- but only as an observer. At that time, the Latin American Parliament -- known as PARLATINO -- condemned the observer status extended to Cuba by the Spanish government of Jose Maria Aznar. Calling the invitation "insulting and unacceptable," PARLATINO asserted that Madrid had treated Cuba in an inconsistent manner compared with other Iberoamerican countries. Cuba strongly condemned the insult and refused to accept the invitation to attend the meeting in Madrid as an observer. The president of Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power stated that while in Chile he will take the opportunity to meet with politicians and other Chilean political leaders. ANGOLAN FOREIGN MINSTER WILL ARRIVE IN CUBA TOMORROW Havana, September 3(RHC)-- Angola's Foreign Minister Venancio da Silva Moura will pay an official visit to Cuba tomorrow at the invitation of his Cuban counterpart, Roberto Robaina. Da Silva Moura will arrive in Havana tomorrow, Thursday. The Angolan foreign minister's visit to Cuba will extend through Monday, the 8th. Da Silva Moura's official visit comes on the threshold of the 9th Session of the Cuban-Angolan Mixed Intergovernmental Commission. The upcoming session is scheduled to take place in Luanda, the Angolan capital, and will deal with economic and scientific cooperation. THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARED (FROM THE NEWS) BUSINESSMAN Miami, September 3(RHC)-- As the wheels of `justice' continue to grind away, little or nothing has been disclosed in the U.S. press about the case of Spanish businessman Javier Ferreiro, arrested nearly six months ago on charges of violating Washington's blockade against Cuba. Observers in Miami say that despite the fact that Ferreiro is slated to go on trial next September 15th, the news media has given virtually no coverage to his case. Javier Ferriero was arrested last April and charged with selling U.S. food products to Cuba -- a violation of the so-called Trading with the Enemy Act. The 46-year-old Spanish businessman was visiting Miami at the time of his arrest by federal agents. Ferriero's attorney, Nathan Diamond, says that his client's trial is yet another effort by Washington to stop business with and foreign investment in Cuba. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain's opposition coalition is calling on the administration of President Jose Maria Aznar to intervene in the case and demand that U.S. authorities release the Spanish businessman. COMMUNITY MEETINGS GEAR-UP TO NOMINATE CANDIDATES FOR UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS Havana, September 3(RHC)-- Over the next four weeks, Cubans will be taking part in community meetings to nominate candidates for municipal representatives. The neighborhood meetings are being conducted by electoral commissions made up of more than 72,000 volunteers who have the task of organizing the nomination process. Every two years, neighbors get together to nominate those who will represent them on the Municipal Assembly of People's Power. From two to eight candidates will be chosen at each precinct level. On election day -- October 19th -- voters will cast their ballots for one candidate who will be their delegate to the Municipal Assembly. To be elected, a candidate must receive a simple majority of the votes: over 50 percent. Since the creation of local People's Power Assemblies more than twenty years ago, more than 100,000 Cuban citizens have served at different governmental levels. Political observers say that the electoral process -- from start to finish -- is an example of true, participatory democracy. AUTHORITIES IN THE U.S. AND THE BAHAMAS REPATRIATE CUBAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Havana, September 3(RHC)-- Immigration agreements between Cuba and its neighbors continue to be enforced. The United States and the Bahamas have repatriated a total of 53 Cubans who attempted to illegally emigrate from Cuba. On Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard repatriated five men, two women and three children. The illegal immigrants were turned over to Cuban authorities as part of bilateral accords signed between Cuba and the United States in May 1995 and September 1996. According to Cuban authorities, 43 illegal Cuban immigrants who attempted to reach the Bahamas were repatriated earlier this week. Thirty-two (32) men, six women and five children from the central provinces of Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus, as well as the eastern province of Las Tunas, were included in the group. Since the bilateral accords were put into effect, a total of 734 rafters have been repatriated by U.S. authorities and 356 illegal immigrants have been returned to Cuba from the Bahamas. FOURTH BRAZIL-CUBA SOLIDARITY FLIGHT EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN HAVANA NEXT WEEK Rio de Janeiro, September 3(RHC)-- The Fourth Brazil-Cuba Solidarity Flight is scheduled to touch down in Havana next Monday, the 8th. According to the Vice President of the Brazil-Cuba Friendship Association Ruben Gonzalez, the flight will be carrying an important material aid donation for the Cuban people. Gonzalez, who is the main organizer of the solidarity flight, told reporters in Rio de Janeiro that this flight will also carry paintings donated by seven Brazilian artists. It was simultaneously announced that the 5th Brazilian Solidarity with Cuba Convention is slated to begin in Rio de Janeiro on September 25th. SECOND AFRICA-CUBA SOLIDARITY MEETING SET FOR LATER THIS MONTH Havana, September 3(RHC)-- The Second Africa-Cuba Solidarity Meeting is scheduled to take place in Ghana from the 17th through the 20th of this month. According to the President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Sergio Corrieri, representatives from at least twelve African nations in addition to a number of European and Middle Eastern countries will be on hand. Sergio Corrieri said that high on the event's agenda will be free trade and national sovereignty, with a major emphasis on the U.S. Helms-Burton Law and its implications, not only for Cuba but for the entire world. The Second Africa-Cuba Solidarity Meeting will also tackle other political and economic issues and is expected to coordinate future solidarity with Cuba actions on the African continent. [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. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org