Radio Havana Cuba, Thursday, March 18, 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 Thursday, March 18, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- LAWMAKERS IN EL SALVADOR DENOUNCE ACTIVITIES OF CUBAN- AMERICAN TERRORIST LUIS POSADA CARRILES 2.- SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS DELEGATION VISITS CUBA 3.- SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA ACTIVITY IN VENEZUELA CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST THE ISLAND 4.- FIRST INTERNATIONAL THERAPEUTIC AND TECHNICAL HYPNOSIS WORKSHOP UNDERWAY IN EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA 5.- HONDURAN STUDENTS ARRIVE ON THE ISLAND AS PART OF A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO STUDY MEDICINE IN CUBA 6.- DELEGATES TO SEVENTH CONGRESS OF UNION OF CUBAN JOURNALISTS VISIT LATIN AMERICAN MEDICAL SCHOOL LAWMAKERS IN EL SALVADOR DENOUNCE ACTIVITIES OF CUBAN-AMERICAN TERRORIST LUIS POSADA CARRILES San Salvador, March 18(RHC)-- Legislative representatives in El Salvador have denounced the close ties between high-ranking government officials and Cuban-American terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. Lawmakers from the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front Party (FMLN) are demanding a full investigation into the activities of Hugo Barrera, El Salvador's Public Security Minister. Barrera and other government officials were mentioned by Salvadoran terrorist Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon during his trial last week in Havana. Cruz Leon, who faces the death penalty after pleading guilty to six counts of terrorist attacks in Cuba, testified during the trial that Posada Carriles moves about freely in El Salvador with false documents. He said the Cuban-American terrorist often visited the home of a person whose last name is Escobar, an advisor to the country's National Civilian Police and also had direct ties with Victor Rivera, an advisor to the Public Security Ministry. FMLN Deputy Manuel Melgar said that Posada Carriles' activities in El Salvador could only be possible with the knowledge and support of Salvadoran intelligence agencies. During the trial of Cruz Leon, Cuban State Security released a video showing Posada Carriles in San Salvador as he openly moved about. Another Salvadoran tried in Havana on charges of terrorism -- Otto Rene Rodriguez Llerena -- admitted that Posada Carriles personally gave him explosives to smuggle into Cuba. Luis Posada Carriles is considered an international fugitive following his "escape" from a Venezuelan prison in the 1980s, where he was serving a prison sentence for the 1976 terrorist bombing of a Cuban civilian airliner in Barbados, killing all 73 passengers aboard. In reality, Posada Carriles walked out the front door of the Venezuelan jail -- many believe with the help of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation. SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS DELEGATION VISITS CUBA Havana, March 18(RHC)-- A South African business delegation is currently visiting Cuba to explore trade opportunities and increase bilateral economic ties between the two countries. The delegation has met with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Noemi Benitez, who explained the details of the island's policy in that sector. Members of the South African group represent various export companies dealing in chemicals, minerals and agricultural equipment. Many of them have expressed an interest in joint ventures with their Cuban counterparts. SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA ACTIVITY IN VENEZUELA CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST THE ISLAND Caracas, March 18(RHC)-- The Fifth Meeting of the National Solidarity with Cuba Organization wound up on Wednesday in the Venezuelan city of Barquisimeto with a strong condemnation of Washington's Helms-Burton Law and its blockade against Cuba. Representatives of Cuba solidarity organizations in Venezuela issued a final statement, stressing that given neo-liberal economic globalization and its strong impact in the region, support for Cuba is of utmost importance. The document pointed to the right of the Cuban people to defend their self-determination and independence. The solidarity groups renewed their commitment to defend the Cuban Revolution with the truth about the island's social project, confronting the disinformation spread by the Revolution's enemies. FIRST INTERNATIONAL THERAPEUTIC AND TECHNICAL HYPNOSIS WORKSHOP UNDERWAY IN EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Santiago de Cuba, March 18(RHC)-- The First International Therapeutic and Technical Hypnosis Workshop got underway on Tuesday in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. The objective of the workshop is to update researchers and professionals in the scientific field of hypnosis. Latin American and European experts will present lectures on the use of hypnosis in helping to correct personality and language disorders, bronchial asthma and other health problems. During Friday's session, the use of hypno-acupuncture, as well as the use of hypnosis in dentistry, general surgery and the treatment of high blood pressure will be discussed. Professor Alberto Cobian, President of the Workshop's organizing committee, told reporters that students in their third and fifth year of medical school receive basic training in hypnosis. Experts from Argentina, Spain, Puerto Rico, Brazil, El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Canada and the United States are taking part in the workshop. Hypnosis is one of most traditional and natural medical procedures in the world, used to help a patient relax or go into a deep sleep. HONDURAN STUDENTS ARRIVE ON THE ISLAND AS PART OF A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO STUDY MEDICINE IN CUBA Havana, March 18(RHC)-- Some 100 Honduran young people have arrived in the Cuban capital to study medicine as part of a scholarship program offered by the Cuban government for Central American countries affected by Hurricane Mitch. Some 582 Central American students are currently in Cuba, out of a total of 1000 that are expected to arrive on the island this year. Students from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala are joining the Hondurans to study medicine at Havana's Latin American Medical School. DELEGATES TO SEVENTH CONGRESS OF UNION OF CUBAN JOURNALISTS VISIT LATIN AMERICAN MEDICAL SCHOOL Havana, March 18(RHC)-- Delegates from the 7th Congress of the Union of Cuban Journalists visited the Latin American Medical School on Wednesday and met with nearly 600 students from Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The visit was proposed by President Fidel Castro at the closing of the Congress late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning. Journalists visiting the medical school described it as an example of the Cuban Revolution's internationalist objectives.  [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-30561 1999-Mar-18 19:35:57