Radio Havana Cuba, July 13, 1999 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 Tuesday, July 13, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ACCUMULATES IN HAVANA TRIAL AGAINST U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR 40 YEARS OF AGGRESSIONS 2.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE THANKS VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT FOR PROVIDING OIL TO CUBA 3.- PRESIDENT OF U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARRIVES IN HAVANA 4.- MEXICO'S FOREIGN MINISTRY AWARDS CUBAN AMBASSADOR WITH THE AZTEC EAGLE ORDER 5.- JOURNALISTS ACCREDITED IN SPAIN WILL TRAVEL TO HAVANA TO COVER THE 9th IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT 6.- RENOWNED CUBAN MUSICIAN COMPAY SEGUNDO WILL BE HONORED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 7.- U.S./CUBA ACADEMIC ENCOUNTER OPENS IN HAVANA DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ACCUMULATES IN HAVANA TRIAL AGAINST US GOVERNMENT FOR 40 YEARS OF AGGRESSION Havana, July 13(RHC)-- Documentary evidence continues to accumulate in a Havana courtroom against the United States government for 40 years of aggressions against Cuba. In hearings focusing on the Bay of Pigs invasion, attorneys for the plaintiffs -- eight Cuban labor and grassroots organizations -- have entered as evidence several books published by some of the mercenaries hired by the CIA to launch the invasion. One of the publications, entitled "Operation Puma," became the first revelation of the direct participation of CIA agents in the aerial bombings against Cuba leading up to and during the invasion. The book was written by Eduardo Ferrer, a pilot who also participated in the air strikes. Ferrer named Major Riley Shamburger, Captain Thomas W. Ray and officers Wade Gray and Leo Baker. The CIA, however, denied the revelation, although Thomas Ray's daughter -- who was six years old when her father was shot down over Cuba -- insisted on learning the truth. In 1972, the CIA finally admitted that Ray's plane had been shot down over Cuba and that his body was on ice in Havana. In May 1998, the CIA decided to carry out a posthumous homage for all four pilots. Attorneys have also presented documentary films on the Bay of Pigs invasion, with images of the bombings, of the massive funerals for the Cuban victims and of the arsenals of American-made weapons captured during the fighting. According to one witness at the court proceedings, Brigadier General Efigenio Ameijeiras, Cuba's victory at the Bay of Pigs was not due to the lack of coordination and air support -- as argued by many who planned, organized and participated. Rather, said Ameijeiras, "Washington and its CIA underestimated the Cuban people." CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE THANKS VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT FOR HIS GENEROSITY IN PROVIDING OIL TO CUBA Caracas, July 13(RHC)-- Visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque has thanked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for his generosity in providing oil to Cuba. In statements late Monday following his gathering with Chavez, the Cuban foreign minister said the Cuban people will not forget what he called "a noble gesture." The Venezuelan president recently decided to modify the terms by which Venezuela and Mexico provide oil to Central America with credits and at below-market prices, including Caribbean nations in this agreement known as the San Jose Pact. Perez Roque praised Chavez's decision to strengthen Venezuela's ties with Cuba and the rest of the region. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jose Vicente Rangel had already made reference to Cuba's 60 million dollar debt to his country's Central Bank, stating that Cuba could possibly pay part of that debt by exporting Cuban medicines and medical equipment to Venezuela. The Cuban foreign minister today signed several bilateral agreements with his Venezuelan counterpart, including two accords in the fields of legal assistance and meteorology, as well as cooperation accords in the exploitation and refining of oil and the possible joint exploitation of phosphorate in Cuba. Following the signing ceremony, Rangel stated that his country will help Cuba with oil even if Mexico does not want to participate. The Cuban foreign minister also gathered with Venezuelan business leaders and took part in a Cuba solidarity event. The visiting Cuban dignitary will travel to Panama on Wednesday. PRESIDENT OF U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARRIVES IN HAVANA Havana, July 13(RHC)-- The President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donahue, has arrived in Cuba to begin a three- day visit. Invited by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, Donahue is at the head of a small delegation that will hold talks with Ricardo Alarcon, President of Cuba's National Assembly, as well as with government ministers in the economic sphere and Cuban academics and students at the University of Havana. The visiting guest is expected to sign a cooperation agreement with the Cuban Chamber of Commerce when he wraps up his stay on Thursday. Donahue has often come out against Washington's unilateral economic sanctions against other countries, including Cuba. In 1997, he and his organization played an active role in promoting the creation of the coalition "Americans For Humanitarian Trade With Cuba," which was officially set up in January 1998. In a brief press release shortly before leaving for Havana, Donahue stated that he was travelling to the island to learn more about a country that's closer to Miami than is the city of Atlanta. MEXICO'S FOREIGN MINISTRY AWARDS CUBAN AMBASSADOR WITH THE AZTEC EAGLE ORDER Havana, July 13(RHC)-- Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green awarded Cuba's ambassador to that country, Abelardo Curbelo, with the Aztec Eagle Order. During a reception at the Mexican Foreign Ministry in honor of the Cuban ambassador, who is ending his diplomatic service in that country, the Mexican official stressed that love for freedom, as well as respect for non-intervention and self-determination are what have guided Cuba's and Mexico's common vision of the world. Rosario Green added that the friendship between the two countries is "stronger than ever." JOURNALISTS ACCREDITED IN SPAIN WILL TRAVEL TO HAVANA TO COVER THE 9th IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT Madrid, July 13(RHC)-- Over 100 Spanish and foreign journalists accredited in Spain will travel to Havana to cover the 9th Iberoamerican Summit in November, according to the magazine Cuba Economica, published in Madrid. The report points out that by the end of June, 132 media representatives from Spain and other countries had filled out the necessary paperwork to cover the important Iberoamerican Summit. The magazine Cuba Economica stresses that preparations for the regional event in Havana began several months ago and outlined various working meetings held at the ministerial level in recent weeks. RENOWNED CUBAN MUSICIAN COMPAY SEGUNDO WILL BE HONORED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Santiago de Cuba, July 13(RHC)-- Cuba's renowned musician of traditional Son and Grammy Award-winner Compay Segundo will be honored during the Son Festival which began today at the Fine Arts Theater in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. The event's organizers said that Francisco Repilado -- better known as Compay Segundo -- is scheduled to arrive on Thursday, accompanied by Cuban singer-songwriter Pablo Milanes. Renowned Dominican musicians like Cheo Abreu, Manolo Minaya and Francis Santana will also receive the distinction during the Son Festival. 92-year-old Compay Segundo, winner of a Grammy for his CD Buena Vista Social Club, played with Cuban greats like Benny More in the 1940's. U.S./CUBA ACADEMIC ENCOUNTER OPENS IN HAVANA Havana, July 13(RHC)-- An academic encounter called the Chicano-Latino-Cubano Experience began at the University of Havana's Sanguily Theater Tuesday morning. The event is attended by a large number of academics, university students, cultural promoters, community activists and other professionals from the United States and their Cuban counterparts. Among issues being debated are the Chicano Experience: A History of Struggle; Latinos in The United States: A Social/Economic/Demographic Profile; Latino Women in Literature; Latinos Within the Church and the Struggle for Social Justice; and Latino Politics: Prospects for Change. A lecture by Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon is slated for Wednesday afternoon as part of the "Latinos in the U.S.: Encounter with Cuba" event, which winds up on Thursday. Visits to places of interest in Havana have also been scheduled. [c] 1999, 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 rhc-eng-4491 1999-Jul-13 18:42:14