CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA January 22, 1998 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Thursday, January 22, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AND POPE JOHN PAUL II MEET PRIVATELY IN HAVANA 2.- NEARLY 200 THOUSAND CUBANS ATTEND POPE JOHN PAUL II'S OPEN AIR MASS IN SANTA CLARA 3.- INTERNATIONAL MEDIA GIVES WIDE COVERAGE TO PAPAL VISIT 4.- CUBA BEGINS NEW VACCINATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST POLIO 5.- MEXICAN INTERNATIONAL ROTARY CLUB DONATES VACCINES TO CUBA FOR POLIO CAMPAIGN 6.- U.S. REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES RANGEL VISITS CUBA 7.- CUBA PAYS TRIBUTE TO OUTSTANDING UNION LEADER JESUS MENENDEZ 8.- 5th SOUTH AMERICAN BRIGADE BEGINS SOLIDARITY WORK ON THE ISLAND CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AND POPE JOHN PAUL II MEET PRIVATELY IN HAVANA Havana, January 22(RHC)-- Pope John Paul II paid a courtesy visit to Cuban President Fidel Castro Thursday evening in the Cuban capital. Returning to Havana from Santa Clara late this afternoon, where he delivered his first of four masses earlier on Thursday, Pope John Paul II arrived at the Palace of the Revolution at 6 p.m. local time. The Pontiff was accompanied by members of the Vatican delegation, who graciously greeted the Cuban president. Shortly afterwards, Pope John Paul II shook hands with members of the Cuban delegation and presented them with mementos. Following a brief photo opportunity with the two leaders, Cuban President Fidel Castro and Pope John Paul II began a closed-door, private meeting which lasted approximately 45 minutes. At the end of the meeting, the two leaders exchanged gifts. The Cuban president gave the Pontiff a copy of the first biography of Father Felix Varela -- published in the 19th century and written by Jose Ignacio Rodriguez. Father Felix Varela was a Cuban Catholic priest, closely identified with the island's struggle for independence from Spain during the last century. Fidel Castro also gave the Pope the jewel of the Felix Varela Order -- the Cuban government's highest cultural honor. Pope John Paul II presented the Cuban leader with a large mosaic of Christ. After exchanging gifts, the two leaders greeted international journalists gathered outside the Palace of the Revolution. No statements were made. NEARLY 200 THOUSAND CUBANS ATTEND POPE JOHN PAUL II'S OPEN AIR MASS IN SANTA CLARA Havana, January 22(RHC)-- Nearly 200,000 Cubans -- believers and non-believers -- attended the first open-air mass given by visiting Pope John Paul II in Santa Clara. The Pope's homily was dedicated to the theme "The Family." The Pontiff said that the Cuban family is "society's fundamental cell and a guarantee of stability, which is faced with the same challenges as in other parts of the world." Pope John Paul II said numerous members of these Cuban families have struggled for a better life in which fundamental human rights are guaranteed, which, he said, include the right to a job, education, health, food and the freedom to worship. The Vatican leader came out in favor of marriage and the unity of the family as a means of teaching ethics to children and reiterated his rejection of pre-marital relations, birth control and abortion. Pope John Paul II concluded the homily with a quote from Cuban independence hero Jose Marti, who said that "in the process of building a future for the well-being of all, the family, the school and the church should form the educational community where Cuba's children can grow in an environment of humanism." INTERNATIONAL MEDIA GIVES WIDE COVERAGE TO PAPAL VISIT Havana, January 22(RHC)-- The pastoral visit of the Pontiff has received wide coverage by national and international media. Cuban radio and television aired the mass delivered by Pope John Paul II in Santa Clara live, while other international broadcasters also carried live coverage. TV Espanola, with its brand new Havana bureau has broadcast live each and every ceremony of the Papal visit. And although the story has been displaced from first place by the current White House scandal, U.S. networks continue giving substantial coverage to the landmark visit. Throughout Latin America, radio and television stations have been interrupting their regular programming to carry reports of the visit. Morning and evening newspapers depicted Wednesday's welcoming ceremony at the airport and this morning's Mass in Santa Clara. In Venezuela, "El Nacional," "El Universal," and "Ultimas Noticias," as well as others devoted front-page, banner headlines and full pages to the visit. In Chile, the main dailies of Santiago devoted their cover stories to the Papal visit -- as well as dailies in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. According to a Papal Press Center official, over 3500 journalists are reporting on John Paul II's visit to Cuba. The meeting of the two international leaders is being described by many reporters as "one of the most historic events of the turn of the century." CUBA BEGINS NEW VACCINATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST POLIO Havana, January 22(RHC)-- Nearly half a million Cuban children under three years of age will be vaccinated against polio, a disease eradicated on the island in 1962. The vaccination campaign begins tomorrow, Friday. So far, 65 million doses have been administered, which means that the Cuban population under 51 years of age is completely protected against this deadly disease. Polio can cause total disability and even death. The inaugural activity of this 37th vaccination campaign will take place in the municipality of Santa Fe, here in Havana. Over the next seven days, all children between one month and three years of age will be immunized against polio. The process will take place at family doctor offices all around the country, with the support of activists from the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution -- the island's largest mass organization. The second dose of the vaccine against polio will be administered in March, when some 170,000 nine-year-old children will be immunized. Besides polio, diseases such as diphtheria, neo-natal tetanus, measles, whooping cough and mumps have also been eradicated in Cuba. Only one case of tetanus in adults was registered in 1997; and not a single case of congenital German measles. Cuba's national immunization program includes vaccination against 12 preventable diseases. MEXICAN INTERNATIONAL ROTARY CLUB DONATES VACCINES TO CUBA FOR POLIO CAMPAIGN Mexico City, January 22(RHC)-- For the fifth consecutive year, the Mexican International Rotary Club has donated a supply of anti-polio vaccines to Cuba. According to the Director of the Mexican organization, Carlos Canceco, the donation will help to fully cover Cuba's needs for the first and second stages of the immunization campaign. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES RANGEL VISITS CUBA Havana, January 22(RHC)-- U.S. congressional Representative Charles Rangel is now visiting Cuba. On Wednesday, Rangel visited the Granma newspaper offices here in Havana, where he was welcomed by the head of this daily. During the friendly meeting, the newspaper's staff spoke with the Democratic Representative from New York about their work and about several aspects of Cuba's reality. Rangel talked about how Cuba is reflected in his country's political and journalistic sectors. The U.S. visitor stressed his conviction about the love the U.S. people feel towards the Cuban people and his interest in the establishment of a constructive dialogue between the authorities of both nations. Representative Rangel is well-known for his constant criticisms of Washington's blockade against Cuba, especially in the area of food and medicines, as well as for his constant work in the U.S. Congress, where he has presented legislation aimed at putting an end to that hostile policy against the Cuban people. CUBA PAYS TRIBUTE TO OUTSTANDING UNION LEADER JESUS MENENDEZ Havana, January 22(RHC)-- Millions of Cuban workers are paying tribute to Jesus Menendez, known as the Sugar Cane General, on the anniversary of his death 50 years ago today. Meetings, conferences and other activities mark this historic date. According to Pedro Ross, General Secretary of the Federation of Cuban Workers, the main celebration will take place at the railroad station in Manzanillo, eastern Cuba, where the trade union leader was assassinated. 5th SOUTH AMERICAN BRIGADE BEGINS SOLIDARITY WORK ON THE ISLAND Havana, January 22(RHC)-- Over 260 members of the 5th South American Brigade are now in Cuba. On Wednesday, the brigadistas began work in the fields of the municipality of Caimito, on the outskirts of Havana -- demonstrating their support for the Cuban Revolution. The brigadistas are from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia, and belong to diverse institutions and groups that do solidarity with Cuba work in their respective countries. The South American Brigade members will also visit other Cuban provinces and will participate in solidarity meetings. The head of the contingent, Sarah Smith, announced that a Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Meeting with Cuba has been scheduled for November in Havana, where many friends from the area are expected to participate. [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. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 814243 Fax: (53) (7) 812927 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org