Radio Havana Cuba 8 March 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 Forwarded message: From nyt@aries.blythe.org Sat Mar 13 02:08:12 1999 From: nyt@aries.blythe.org Message-Id: <199903130704.CAA00624@aries.blythe.org> Subject: Radio Havana Cuba 8 March 1999 To: nyt@blythe.org Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 02:04:08 -0500 (EST) Content-Type: text The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Monday, March 8, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- PRIME MINISTER OF GRENADA ARRIVES IN CUBA 2.- TRIAL AGAINST SALVADORAN TERRORIST BEGINS IN HAVANA 3.- CUBAN WOMEN CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 4.- PRESIDENT OF NIGER SCHEDULED TO VISIT CUBA 5.- IRANIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TOURS THE ISLAND 6.- MEXICO GLOBALIZES SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA 7.- CAMAGUEY AND MADISON BECOME SISTER CITIES 8.- CUBA AND ITALY SET UP NEW JOINT VENTURE COMPANY 9.- SPANISH STARS TRAVEL TO CUBA TO PROMOTE TOURISM PRIME MINISTER OF GRENADA ARRIVES IN CUBA Havana, March 8(RHC)-- The Prime Minister of Grenada, Keith Mitchell, arrived in Cuba on Sunday for an official visit at the invitation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. During his second visit to Cuba, the Grenadian prime minister and his delegation will remain on the island until March 14th. Following the electoral triumph of his New National Party, Prime Minister Mitchell held various posts during the government of Herbert Blaize. He was named Prime Minister in May 1995, with his party winning re-election last January 18th. In August of last year, Cuban President Fidel Castro paid an official visit to Grenada, closing a Caribbean tour that also took him to Jamaica and Barbados. The Cuban leader was then accorded a very warm welcome by the Grenadian people and Prime Minister Keith Mitchell. During that visit, it was announced that Cuban construction workers would help build a new wing at the Grenadian capital Saint George's Hospital, increasing its capacity from 240 to 440 beds, and that Cuba would give 1000 scholarships every year to Caribbean students. Grenada is one of many countries in the Caribbean region that have significantly stepped up bilateral relations with Cuba. TRIAL AGAINST SALVADORAN TERRORIST BEGINS IN HAVANA Havana, March 8(RHC)-- Trial proceedings began today against Salvadoran citizen Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon, charged with six counts of terrorism stemming from a series of bomb attacks in the Cuban capital in 1997. Taking into account the serious nature of the crimes, in which one Italian tourist was killed and several other people wounded, Cuban judicial authorities have asked for the death penalty. The trial is expected to last several days, during which some 40 witnesses will testify and prosecutors will present abundant incriminatory evidence. Cuban judicial authorities have insisted that the accused has received all guarantees in the court proceedings, including the designation of defense attorneys by his family. The mother of Cruz Leon is currently in Cuba to attend the trial. Judicial authorities intend to demonstrate that the accused belonged to a Central American terrorist network organized by Cuban-American terrorist Luis Posada Carriles and financed by the Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation. Another Salvadoran, Otto Rene Rodriguez Llerena, will go on trial next week on two counts of terrorism. Prosecutors are requesting a 30 year prison sentence against Rodriguez Llerena in relation to one bomb attack against a Havana tourist facility and the smuggling of plastic explosives into the country. Three Guatemalan citizens are also under arrest on similar charges. CUBAN WOMEN CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Havana, March 8(RHC)-- Cuban women are celebrating International Women's Day with outstanding achievements in their struggle, including the fact that they now make up more than 60 percent of the island's technical and professional force. The main rally to commemorate the date was held at the National Anthem Square in the historic Cuban city of Bayamo. There, the island's women heard the call to the 7th Congress of the Federation of Cuban Women, the FMC, set for next year. The rally also provided an excellent opportunity to learn the results of the work of outstanding FMC members last year and to honor women in the eastern Cuban province of Granma, where Bayamo is located. PRESIDENT OF NIGER SCHEDULED TO VISIT CUBA Havana, March 8(RHC)-- The President of the Republic of Niger, Ibrahim Mainsassara Bare, will visit Cuba from Wednesday through Sunday at the invitation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. The distinguished African visitor will be accompanied by a large government delegation from that country. During his stay in Cuba, the president of Niger will hold official talks with the island's highest ranking authorities and visit economic, scientific and historic centers. IRANIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TOURS THE ISLAND Havana, March 8(RHC)-- A delegation from the Iranian Parliament arrived in Cuba on Sunday to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in the areas of technical and scientific research. The Iranian legislators on Monday visited the headquarters of the National Assembly of People's Power or Cuban Parliament. During their stay on the island, which will run through Thursday, the lawmakers from the Arab country will meet with the Cuban Ministers of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Foreign Trade, and Science, Technology and the Environment. They are also scheduled to tour scientific centers closely linked with biotechnology. MEXICO GLOBALIZES SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA Mexico City, March 8(RHC)-- Mexico's main political parties and organizations adopted a unique plan over the weekend to strengthen their solidarity with Cuba. The plan was approved during the 4th National Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba held Saturday and Sunday in Mexico City with the attendance of 72 Mexican organizations and 250 participants from 25 Mexican states. The event was considered the most important held in that country to coordinate actions in support of Cuba. Among the gathering's agreements was to complete their campaign of signatures against Washington's almost 40 year blockade against the island, a drive they've called the "Globalization of Hope." The signatures will be presented to the U.S. embassy in Mexico City in April. Participants at the gathering also agreed to declare 1999 as the Continental Year of Solidarity with Cuba and July 26th -- the Day of National Rebellion -- as the Continental Day against the Blockade. The Cuba solidarity organizations also agreed to promote sister city agreements between the two countries, to organize a workshop on globalization and neo-liberalism, a Cuba- Mexico-U.S. meeting near the Mexican-U.S. border and others projects. CAMAGUEY AND MADISON BECOME SISTER CITIES Camaguey, March 8(RHC)-- Madison, located in the U.S. State of Wisconsin, and the Cuban city of Camaguey signed a sister city agreement Monday to boost the development of friendly relations. The sister city project includes bilateral exchanges in the scientific, cultural, educational, artistic and sports fields. CUBA AND ITALY SET UP NEW JOINT VENTURE COMPANY Camaguey, March 8(RHC)-- The Italian Group La Cascina and Cuba's Cubanacan Corporation set up a new joint venture company in Camaguey over the weekend to build tour facilities in that eastern province. The new firm presented its first work project to build a 400 room, four-star hotel at Santa Lucia beach in the northern part of the province at an initial cost of 18 million dollars. SPANISH STARS TRAVEL TO CUBA TO PROMOTE TOURISM Havana, March 8(RHC)-- A dozen renowned Spanish performers are promoting tourism to Cuba, especially to the beaches of eastern Holguin province. For the second time, the Spanish specialized magazine Viajeros is organizing the so called "Viaje de Famosos" or "Tour of the Famous" project, that on this occasion will include Pepe Sancho and singers Eva Cobo and Maria Jimenez as well as Norma Duval and journalists from the main Spanish media outlets. Last year, a similar experience to promote the arrival of more visitors to Cuba included singer Masiel, whose song "Rosas en el Mar" or "Roses in the Sea" was very popular on the island in the 1970's. 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