Radio Havana Cuba-3 July 2000 23:30 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 3 July 2000 23:30 *CUBA ENTERS THE NEXT STAGE IN THE BATTLE OF IDEAS *IT'S UP TO THE UNITED STATES TO CHANGE, NOT CUBA *SOLIDARITY BRIGADES FROM THE U.S. AND PUERTO RICO ARRIVE IN CUBA *CUBA ENTERS THE NEXT STAGE IN THE BATTLE OF IDEAS Havana, July 3 (RHC)-- The next stage in the battle of ideas will be just as successful as the struggle to free Elian Gonzalez from his kidnappers. According to the Second Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party and Minister of the Armed Forces, Raul Castro, the people are committed to fight against the Cuban Adjustment Act and the U.S. economic blockade of the island, without taking a break or even pausing to catch their breath. The Cuban leader spoke with reporters following Saturday's massive demonstration in Manzanillo, located in the eastern province of Granma, where more than 300,000 gathered to condemn Washington's hostile policies toward the Revolution. Raul Castro said that the Cuban Adjustment Act -- passed by the U.S. Congress in 1966 and still on the books -- encourages illegal immigration from the island to the United States and has resulted in the deaths of countless Cubans in the Straits of Florida. The 34-year-old law is also directly responsible for cases like that of Elian Gonzalez. The armed forces minister asked reporters what would happen if the United States passed legislation that would grant permanent residency to all Latin Americans wanting to immigrate to the U.S., or if Europe opened the door for any African who wanted to live in Europe. And Raul Castro predicted that immigration from Third World countries to industrialized nations will be one of the major problems facing the world in the 21st century. Referring specifically to the successful conclusion of the battle to win Elian's release from the United States and his return to the island several days ago, the Cuban leader stated that the case generated a great deal of interest among U.S. citizens, who overwhelmingly agreed that the six-year-old boy belonged with his father here in Cuba. *IT'S UP TO THE UNITED STATES TO CHANGE, NOT CUBA Washington, July 3 (RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon has called for an end to Washington's Cold War policies against Havana. During an interview on the ABC television news program "This Week," Alarcon stated that the case of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez demonstrates that it is past time to review relations between the United States and Cuba. Ricardo Alarcon reminded viewers of the ABC program on Sunday that while Washington makes overtures to China, Vietnam and North Korea, the economic blockade and travel restrictions against Cuba are still in place. According to the president of the Cuban Parliament, it is up to the United States -- and not Cuba -- to make changes if it wants to improve relations between the two countries. Asked by one of the ABC reporters why Cuba does not allow its citizens to immigrate to the United States, Ricardo Alarcon corrected the journalist, saying that people immigrate all the time through legal channels -- pointing out that it is the United States that limits the number of immigrants that can enter the country. The president of the Cuban Parliament said that the real problem revolves around the Cuban Adjustment Act -- legislation that was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1966 -- which encourages illegal immigration. Alarcon reminded the journalist that the dangerous crossings of the Florida Straits have cost Cuban families dearly -- leading to such tragic situations like the case of Elian Gonzalez, who lost his mother when she drowned in an attempt to illegally reach the shores of Florida. *SOLIDARITY BRIGADES FROM THE U.S. AND PUERTO RICO ARRIVE IN CUBA Havana, July 3 (RHC)-- Solidarity activists from the United States and Puerto Rico have arrived here in Cuba to begin work in voluntary brigades. The 31st Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade from the U.S. is joining with the Juan Ruis Rivera Brigade from Puerto Rico. Some 60 Americans and 70 Puerto Ricans make up their respective brigades and will be carrying out agricultural work on the outskirts of Havana for two weeks. According to Prensa Latina News Agency, based in the Cuban capital, since its founding in 1969, the Venceremos Brigade has sent a total of 7000 U.S. citizens to work in Cuba -- volunteering in the sugar harvest, construction and agricultural work. The brigadistas are here in Cuba in violation of Washington's blockade of the island, refusing to apply for a license with the U.S. Treasury Department as established by law. The Venceremos Brigade was the first internationalist work brigade that began coming to the island to concretely express its solidarity with the Cuban Revolution. Since then, numerous other brigades were formed in other parts of the world, including the Juan Ruis Rivera Brigade from Puerto Rico, the Nordic Brigade from Europe, as well as solidarity work brigades from Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and even Australia. Over the next few weeks this summer, the Nordic Brigade and the Southern Cross Brigade from Australia will be here in Cuba to work near the town of Caimito, some 30 kilometers west of Havana. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-eng-25495 2000-Jul-04 01:31:05