Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Wednesday, December 9, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- REVOLUTIONARIES MUST HAVE FAITH IN HUMANITY 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH U.S. CARDINAL BERNARD LAW 3.- REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROPEAN UNION'S HUMANITARIAN AID OFFICE AFFIRMS THAT AID TO CUBA IS PUT TO GOOD USE 4.- INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN, IDENTITY AND CULTURE TAKES PLACE IN EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA 5.- SECOND CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE ARRIVES IN GUATEMALA 6.- URUGUAY'S MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY ENDS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA REVOLUTIONARIES MUST HAVE FAITH IN HUMANITY Havana, December 9(RHC)-- Delegates to the Seventh Congress of the Cuban Young Communist League (UJC), which got underway in Havana on Tuesday, debated issues related to the functioning of the youth organization on Wednesday. During yesterday's opening session, Cuban President Fidel Castro stated that "revolutionaries must have faith in humanity," stressing that such faith "is what differentiates socialism from capitalism." The Cuban leader briefly spoke to the more than 1500 participants at the UJC Congress on Tuesday, explaining that revolutionary ideas are not inherited, but rather deliberately transmitted. Fidel Castro was responding to a statement by a young delegate to the Congress, who said that the revolution was in her blood. The leader of the Cuban Revolution said he respectfully disagreed, giving the example that if that were true, then many would have inherited their parents reactionary ideas instead of fighting against the Batista dictatorship. During Wednesday's session of the 7th Congress of the Young Communist League, it was announced that beginning in March next year, the newspaper Juventud Rebelde would once again become a daily. In the early 90s, due to the economic situation in Cuba, the publication was forced to suspend daily circulation and became a weekly. Other newspapers and magazines were also affected by the shortage of paper and prohibitive production costs. With the announcement that Juventud Rebelde would soon be back on the daily newsstand, it was also announced that two other papers -- Granma and Trabajadores -- would soon increase their circulation. CUBAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH U.S. CARDINAL BERNARD LAW Havana, December 9(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met with U.S. Cardinal Bernard Law, who reiterated his condemnation of Washington's nearly 40 year blockade against Cuba. Boston's Archbishop, who is currently visiting Cuba, characterized his meeting with the Cuban leader as "friendly and respectful." Archbishop Law said that the Cuban President talked about how the social doctrine of the Church could construct a better society in any part of the world. The U.S. Cardinal added that after the visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba last January, positive steps have been taken between the Church and State and praised Cuba's Council of State for approving December 25th, Christmas Day, a national holiday. Archbishop Law said that he will return to Cuba next February to participate in the meeting of Latin American Bishops from Canada and the United States which, said the religious leader, is of great importance because it will take place after the Synod of the Americas is held in Mexico later this month. REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROPEAN UNION'S HUMANITARIAN AID OFFICE AFFIRMS THAT AID TO CUBA IS PUT TO GOOD USE Havana, December 9(RHC)-- The representative of the European Union's Humanitarian Aid Office in Havana, Josep Vargas, said that the donations destined for Cuba are rationally put to good use. Vargas, who just ended a brief visit to Cuba, gave a broad report on a project for drinking water which will be applied in eight of the island's provinces by an Italian non-governmental organization. The European Union's Humanitarian Aid Office was created in 1992 to coordinate donations to affected nations due either to natural catastrophes or other situations. The Italian non-governmental organization Civilian Volunteer Group is currently working in 22 countries. INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN, IDENTITY AND CULTURE TAKES PLACE IN EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Santiago de Cuba, December 9(RHC)-- The participation of women in solutions to problems of Latin America is the main issue being discussed during the First International Workshop "Latin American Women: Identity and Culture," which got underway Tuesday in eastern Santiago de Cuba. During the inaugural session, the Dean of the Social Sciences and Humanities Department of Oriente University, Maria Julia Jimenez, pointed out that Latin American women continue to struggle for equality and against social prejudices which still exist. She added that after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, women in Cuba were no longer merely housewives, but were given a significant role in all areas of society. SECOND CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE ARRIVES IN GUATEMALA Guatemala City, December 9(RHC)-- The second Cuban medical brigade to Guatemala has begun to offer its services to the victims of Hurricane Mitch. The medical personnel are attempting to prevent the spread of epidemics in the municipality of Joyabai, located in Quiche Department. According to Cuba's ambassador in Guatemala, Freddy Torres, the medical brigade includes the medical equipment to install temporary clinics. With the arrival of the new medical brigade, the number of Cuban doctors in Guatemala has increased to 70. URUGUAY'S MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY ENDS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA Havana, December 9(RHC)-- Uruguay's Minister of Labor and Social Security, Ana Lia Pineyrua, said she is extremely satisfied with the results of her visit to Cuba. During her stay, the Uruguayan official signed a memorandum of understanding with her Cuban counterpart, Salvador Valdez Mesa. The agreement provides for bilateral cooperation in the fields of labor and social security. [c] 1998, 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. 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