Radio Havana Cuba, 12 November 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 Friday, November 12, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- TRIAL BEGINS AGAINST SEVEN CUBAN-AMERICANS ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO 2.- PRENSA LATINA NEWS AGENCY CRITICIZES NICARAGUAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S INTERFERENCE IN CUBA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS 3.- CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON MEETS WITH STUDENTS, PROFESSORS AND JOURNALISTS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 4.- 8th CONGRESS OF LATIN AMERICAN JOURNALISTS FEDERATION UNDERWAY IN HAVANA 5.- BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN HAVANA TOMORROW 6.- SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA HABANA CIGAR UNVEILED IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 7.- CUBAN CHILDREN READY TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES COMMEMORATING THE 480th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF HAVANA 8.- REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, MEXICO, CHILE, BRAZIL AND SURINAM ARRIVE IN HAVANA 9.- PERU'S AMBASSADOR TO CUBA SAYS RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS ARE GOOD TRIAL BEGINS AGAINST SEVEN CUBAN-AMERICANS ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO San Juan, November 12(RHC)-- Trial proceedings began today in a U.S. Federal courtroom in Puerto Rico against seven Cuban-Americans accused of plotting to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. All seven have ties to the ultra-right wing, Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation -- which Havana has repeatedly accused of engaging in terrorist activities against the island. This is the first case of its type to be tried in U.S. federal courts. In October 1997, four of the accused were arrested off the coasts of Puerto Rico in a vessel containing high-powered rifles and other military equipment, as well as a computerized navigation system indicating that their destination was Margarita Island, off the coast of Venezuela, where the Cuban leader participated in the 7th Ibero-American Summit. The seven Cuban-Americans have repeatedly accused the U.S. government of hypocrisy, charging that Washington itself has conspired to assassinate the Cuban leader on numerous occasions. Cuban authorities have asserted that they have discovered 637 assassination plots against President Castro, most planned by the CIA. Federal Judge Hector Laffitte recently denied a series of defense petitions to postpone the trial. But he still has to rule on a petition by the defense attorney of Jose Antonio Llama, member of the board of directors of the Cuban-American National Foundation. The defense has asked that Llama and five other accused be tried separately from Angel Manuel Alfonso, who when arrested two years ago publicly stated that his objective was to murder the Cuban leader. One of the rifles found in the impounded vessel belonged to Cuban- American National Foundation leader Francisco Pepe Hernandez, although he has not been charged. The U.S. Justice Department has revealed that the group planned the assassination plot over a period of four years. If found guilty, they could face up to life in prison. PRENSA LATINA NEWS AGENCY CRITICIZES NICARAGUAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S INTERFERENCE IN CUBA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS Havana, November 12(RHC)-- Prensa Latina News Agency has pointed out that while Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Eduardo Montealegre intends to intervene in Cuba's internal affairs during the Ibero-American Summit, at the same time he calls on the international community to respect Nicaragua's sovereignty. On Thursday, the Nicaraguan government angrily reacted to widespread criticism of the arrest of Comptroller General Agustin Jarquin, who has been spearheading investigations into charges of corruption on the part of Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman. The European Union and other members of the international community had asserted that Jarquin's arrest further damages Nicaragua's image and the credibility of its institutions. Then, during a news conference late Thursday in Managua, Montealegre announced that he will meet in Cuba with counterrevolutionaries and demand the release of those imprisoned in Cuba for counterrevolutionary activities. On Wednesday, the Nicaraguan news daily "El Nuevo Diario" published a letter to Montealegre by the president of the Cuban-American Foundation, Jorge Mas Canosa, Jr., asking the Nicaraguan foreign minister to take a sum of money to Cuba to give to members of the small opposition groups on the island. Montealegre denied knowledge of the letter. But when one local journalist asked the foreign minister why he was going to Cuba if his government has condemned the island's economic and political model and why he calls on the international community to respect Nicaragua while at the same time intervening in Cuba's internal affairs -- Montealegre had "no comment." CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON MEETS WITH STUDENTS, PROFESSORS AND JOURNALISTS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY New York, November 12(RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon met late Thursday with students, professors and journalists at Columbia University's School of International Affairs, fielding numerous questions from those present. Asked if it is true that Cuba uses Washington's blockade to justify its economic problems -- as President Bill Clinton recently claimed -- Alarcon challenged Washington to lift the blockade, even if just for one year, to find out exactly who is manipulating this issue. The question of democracy in Cuba came up during the gathering. Alarcon first reminded the audience that the word democracy is of Greek, and not English origin, and that therefore Washington cannot claim to be the exclusive owner of that concept. He said the fundamental principle behind that concept is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. But that principle, added Alarcon, has disappeared due to the worship of the blind forces of the so-called free market in this neo-liberal era. The journalists, students and professors at Columbia University asked the president of Cuba's Parliament about the current state of Cuba's economy and about the inequalities inherent in the circulation of two different currencies, the peso and the dollar. Alarcon said that this situation was a necessary evil, recalling that with the collapse of the eastern European socialist camp and the Soviet Union, the Cuban peso's value fell to 150 for every one U.S. dollar. He said that situation has significantly stabilized, until today the ratio is 20 Cuban pesos to one U.S. dollar. He pointed to a report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, which found that Cuba is the only country in the region whose currency has not been devalued in the past few years. With respect to the Cuban economy, Alarcon stated that Cuba is expecting a growth rate of approximately five percent this year. He said these economic achievements have been attained without abandoning health, education and other social programs - pointing out that Cuban society is based on human solidarity. 8th CONGRESS OF LATIN AMERICAN JOURNALISTS FEDERATION UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, November 12(RHC)-- The 8th Congress of the Latin American Journalists Federation got underway on Thursday in Havana. The meeting is aimed at discussing information and the role of media professionals in a globalized world. Organizers of the Congress of the Latin American Journalists Federation said that foreign journalists accredited to the Ibero-American Summit will get a first- hand look at life on an island that has been blockaded by the United States for almost 40 years. The Journalists Congress is meeting on Friday in workshops on the new century, the value of information in a globalized world, integration and regionalization as well as the world economic crisis and its local impact. There are currently 28 organizations from 21 countries and over 50 associations and institutions that are members of the Latin American Journalists Federation. BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN HAVANA TOMORROW Havana, November 12(RHC)-- Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso will arrive in the Cuban capital on Saturday, accompanied by a large delegation interested in getting a first-hand look at Cuba. The Brazilian president will meet with Cuban government officials and visit places of historic, economic and social interest in addition to participating in the 9th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Governments on Monday and Tuesday. SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA HABANA CIGAR UNVEILED IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, November 12(RHC)-- Journalists accredited to the 9th Ibero-American Summit witnessed the presentation on Thursday of the San Cristobal de la Havana cigar -- which will soon be sold on the world market. During the ceremony at the Morro Castle tourist complex in Havana, journalists from 35 countries learned that Cuba will export at least 150 million Habanos this year, making the cigar industry an important source of hard currency for the island's economy. The launching of the San Cristobal de la Havana Cigar is part of activities commemorating the 480th anniversary of the founding of Havana. CUBAN CHILDREN READY TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES COMMEMORATING THE 480th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF HAVANA Havana, November 12(RHC)-- Cuban children are anxious and ready to take part in a number of cultural activities beginning on Saturday and running through Tuesday -- to welcome participants of the 9th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government and the 480th anniversary of the founding of Havana. Sponsored by the Union of Young Communists (UJC) and the Federation of University Students (FEU), the activities will include musical and theatrical performances, poetry readings, circus acts and other attractions offered by Havana youth for the Ibero-American Heads of State and Government and their respective delegations. REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, MEXICO, CHILE, BRAZIL AND SURINAM ARRIVE IN HAVANA Havana, November 12(RHC)-- Representatives from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Chile, Brazil and Surinam are in Havana as part of an advance delegation from each country that will participate in the 9th Ibero-American Summit slated to begin on Monday, November 15th. Many of the representatives have expressed an interest in insuring the success of the important regional event. Havana's International Convention Center, which will be the meeting place of the Ibero-American heads of state and government is also the site on Friday of the Third Meeting of Coordinators and Heads of Cooperation. Organizers of the event believe the meeting will be of particular importance for the preparation of the Summit's final document, which also includes the cooperation of the 21 Ibero-American nations with the creation of a Secretariat. In a recent interview televised by CNN, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said that despite attempts from abroad to disrupt the 9th Ibero-American Summit, the organizers are confident that the meeting will be successful. The Cuban official added that the discussions aimed at drafting the Summit's final document are focused on finding a solution to the international financial crisis and how to deal with the foreign debt. PERU'S AMBASSADOR TO CUBA SAYS RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS ARE GOOD Havana, November 12(RHC)-- Peru's ambassador to Cuba, Juan Castilla Meza, has underscored his country's good relations with the island and said that those relations are based on mutual respect. In statements to Prensa Latina News Agency, the Peruvian diplomat recalled that his country sells sea products to Cuba, while the island exports medicines and vaccines to Peru. 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