Raul Castro Chairs Cuba Communists
Havana, Apr 29 (Prensa Latina) President Raul Castro presided over the Sixth Plenary Session of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) Central Committee, which analyzed issues like functioning of the organization, the country's development and the complex international panorama.At the meeting´s conclusion on Monday, the also second secretary of the PCC Central Committee said that the Political Bureau considers it necessary to hold the Sixth Congress of this organization at the end of the second semester of 2009, although the official call is still to be revealed.Raul Castro stated that the PCC has strengthened and gained experience during the special period, but it must continue improving, the national television reported.The island's statesman noted that organization is currently taking an important step to support its progressive role in development of the Cuban nation and, as Fidel Castro has always said, to continue with the Cuban Revolution when its historic leaders are no longer physically guiding the country."Our main goal is to improve our imperfect, but nevertheless fair, social system amid the present reality, which we know is extremely complex and changeable, and everything points to the future," he indicated.The Cuban head of State informed of the decision of appointing Council of Ministers vice president Jose Ramon Fernandez, to deal with the educational sector, and highlighted his qualities.Raul Castro insisted that food production is a main task for the Party's leaders, and is an affair of national security.He also informed of the Council of State decision to reduce the death penalty sentenced to a group of people to life sentences, except those who had committed the crime before that sanction was established in the Cuban penal code.Those people, Raul Castro stressed, will be sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment.He recalled the country had applied since 2000 the policy of not executing these kind of sentences, which was interrupted in April 2003 to stop the spate of over 30 attempts to hijack planes and ships, encouraged by United States."Commander Fidel is in favor of eliminating, when we have the right conditions, the death penalty for any kind of crime and is opposed to extra-judiciary methods that some known countries shamelessly practice," Raul Castro stated.This Council of State's accord, the president said, does not mean the suppression of death penalty from the Cuban penal code, because in the current circumstances we cannot lower our guard against an empire that does not stop hounding and attacking us.Raul Castro recalled in his speech the thousands of people who have been killed as a result of terrorist actions against the Cuban Revolution.However, we are not responsible for any case of torture, disappeared persons, extra-judiciary executions or illegal jailing.As part of the agenda and according to faculties given by the Party statutes, the Central Committee's Plenary Session elected Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes Menendez, Central Workers' Union of Cuba general secretary Salvador Valdes Mesa, and army general Alvaro Lopez Miera as members of the Political Bureau.It was also approved to create a Political Bureau commission comprised of a reduced number of members, capable of making more functional decisions while still evaluating those affairs collectively The commission was made up of Raul Castro, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, Juan Almeida Bosque, Abelardo Colome Ibarra, Carlos Lage, Esteban Lazo Hernandez and Julio Casas Regueiro, who are the president, first vice president and vice presidents of the Council of State.
Anuncia Raúl Castro la realización del VI Congreso del PCC
http://lacomunidad.elpais.com/yohandry8780/posts,
Spain Lawyer Says US Shafted Cuba 5
Madrid, Apr 29 (Prensa Latina) The case of the five Cuban anti-terrorists imprisoned in US jails centered a conference in Las Palmas, Grand Canary, by Spanish jurist Raul Martinez Turrero, it was informed Tuesday in Madrid.The lawyer accused the US government of unethical political maneuvers in the processes against Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez, and Ramon Labanino..Martinez Turrero, member of the state Spanish committee for the release of The Five and the Free Association of Lawyers, made an in-depth explanation over the arrest, imprisonment, and trials of the Cubans unfairly imprisoned in US jails for nearly ten years.He said the legal process against The Five was full of irregularities, and explained their only mission in the US was to warn the Island of terrorist acts by anti-Cuban ultra rightwing groups based in Florida, the authors of a long history of aggression against Cuba.The conference was held at La Jiribilla Popular Center, sponsored by the Canary Platform of Solidarity with the Peoples, and the Association of Lawyers for Peace and Human Rights.
JUBILADOS CUBANOS AGRADECEN MEDIDAS DE GOBIERNO
Por: Eduardo Maza (WORLD DATA SERVICE).- Jubilados cubanos agradecieron al gobierno de la Isla las últimas medidas tendientes a incrementar las pensiones de la Seguridad Social.Esta opinión favorable se puso en evidencia en las calles, en los establecimientos comerciales, gastronómicos y de los servicios; en los ómnibus urbanos, universidades, parques, colas, hogares, centros de trabajo y otros sitios.Las medidas benefician también a núcleos familiares atendidos por la Asistencia Social y a los trabajadores del Tribunal Supremo Popular y la Fiscalía General de la República, para quienes habrá aumentos salariales."En realidad no me sorprende la medida, ya que en mis casi 88 años de vida he visto que hasta en los momentos más difíciles el Gobierno revolucionario siempre se ha preocupado por el bienestar del pueblo, de los más necesitados", aseveró a WDS Ramón Raúl Pérez López, quien recibía 265 pesos y ahora se beneficiará con 305.Por su parte, Rafael Lima Castillo, un jubilado del Poder Popular, relató que en cualquier lugar "la gente agradece a Fidel, a Raúl y a la dirección del país esta decisión tan humana".En el caso de Carlos de la Rosa, jubilado de la Empresa de Suministros de Alimentos en la capital cubana, este afirmó que "mi agradecimiento lo haré sentir el Primero de Mayo, en el desfile por el Día Internacional de los Trabajadores. Allí estaré entre los primeros", sostuvo.
Statement concerning EU-Cuba relationsof the Meeting of Northern European Cuba Friendship Associations,
Reykjavik, Iceland, the 25-26th of April, 2008
Times are changing and the European Union and all European countries have all reasons to go forwards with its dialogue with Cuba, annul its Cuba sanctions and develop cooperation with this island nation that shines with its progress in so many fields. We are talking about the Cuba which the analysis of the World Wildlife Fund says is the only sustainable country in the world. We are talking about the Cuba whose infant mortality is 5.3 ”, decidedly lower than the 6.4” of the rich USA, and whose parliament has 43% women members, placing it third in the world. In spite of the US blockade against Cuba, the economy of the island nation is one of the fastest growing, having accumulated a 42.5% GDP increase 2004-2007. This has made it possible to refurbish hospitals, raise wages substantially, renew public transport systems, continue decentralising university education to the municipal level and continue Cuba's large-scale international solidarity, and much more.Cuba has at present 36,578 doctors and other health workers giving health care amongst the poor in 73 countries. In Cuba 30,000 youth from third world countries are in training to be doctors. One hundred doctor trainees are from poor areas in the USA. The training is free of charge, the only condition being that they return to give health care to the unprivileged communities they come from. Operation Miracle has so far saved the eyesight of over one million patients with cataracts or other serious eye diseases. Cuba's literacy programme "Yes, I can!" has taught three million to read and write. Cuba's solidarity work and mutual cooperation reach around the world, but especially to its Latin American neighbours such as Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Dominica who cooperate in ALBA the Bolivarian Alternative.The people of Latin America are creating new hope, welfare and a life of dignity, freeing themselves of being the backyard of the USA. However, the present US government is unwilling to revise its ambitions of enslavement and primitive exploitation of Latin America, and beefs up its military bases, instead of embracing how the poor and the indigenous peoples take control of their own lives and their countries' resources and raise their standard of living, which in time will also give substantial new opportunities for foreign trade and exchange.Cuba has stood up to the almost 50 year long criminal U.S. blockade, a blockade which meets increased criticism within the US Congress. However the George Bush government frenetically steps up its actions against Cuba in accordance with the Helms-Burton law and the so-called Bush Plans of 2004 and 2006. The latest step has been to triple the budget for subversive activity in Cuba to 45.7 million US dollars for 2008. To assist with this, Europeans and Latin Americans are specifically sought for. With this dirty money in his wallet the so-called "Cuba Transition Coordinator" Caleb McCarry has been on a half-secretive tour in Europe and met with anti-Cuban grouplets. He has also been received by various governments' officials, the purpose of which is to pressure the European Union to step up sanctions against Cuba. In June the EU is expected to review its Common Position on Cuba. Before that, the 16-17th of May, the next Summit of the EU - Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) will take place in Lima, Peru.Since the previous EU-LAC Summit in May 2006 in Vienna, cooperation projects between Latin American and Caribbean countries have multiplied. Also trade with both the EU and the USA has gone forwards. Social programmes are put in motion by the popular new governments. Cuba's involvement and international solidarity makes a great impact especially on the health of the poorer population sectors, who earlier hardly had access to doctors. Cuba has attained increased prestige and love within Latin America and the Caribbean. This is reflected in Cuba being entrusted with a seat on the UN Council of Human Rights and also being at present elected as the General Secretary of the 118 country strong Non-Aligned Movement.When Louis Michel, EU Commissioner of Development and Humanitarian Aid met with Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque in Havana the 7-9th of March, they were in agreement that dialogue and mutual respect were the way forwards to normalize relations between the EU and Cuba. The EU sanctions must be done away with. However there are governments within the EU who wish for more confrontation with Cuba, a policy that in practice gives support to the US criminal blockade against Cuba and strengthens the demonization propaganda.It is now the time for the EU to develop the dialogue and cooperation with Cuba already started, and to:o Abolish the 2003 sanctions, which stipulate no to top-level political contacts and cultural exchange.o Give up the Common Position on Cuba, a result of the 1996 US Helms-Burton law's blackmail, and intentionally break the blockade.o Use all available channels to convince the US Government to respect the opinion of the grand majority of the UN General Assembly that the blockade politics against Cuba must cease.o Declare that the existence of the US-torture-camp at Guantánamo base is a crime against humanity, and demand that the bay area is returned to the sovereign state of Cuba.
Denuncia Cuba agresión radial y televisiva de Estados Unidos
NACIONES UNIDAS (PL).— Cuba denunció hoy la mantenida agresión radial y televisiva de Estados Unidos contra ese país y destacó el reciente apoyo de la Conferencia Mundial de Radiocomunicaciones.En noviembre pasado esa Conferencia celebrada en Ginebra concluyó que las transmisiones desde aeronaves de Estados Unidos hacia Cuba contravienen el Reglamento de Radiocomunicaciones, dijo la embajadora Ileana Núñez.
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/04/30/cubamundo/artic01.html,
(Perhaps the most important quote from John D. Negroponte is this one:"we don't have that great an insight as to the internal dynamics of Cuba." ============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =====U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATEOffice of the SpokesmanINTERVIEWDeputy Secretary of State John D. NegroponteWith Charlie RoseApril 25, 2008...MR. ROSE: Do we expect different things from Raul Castro?DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well I certainly have not seen any sign ofencouragement yet, and I think that the challenge with respect to Cuba ishow to keep the hope for freedom alive, and the prisoners have not beenreleased. Probably the most important single thing that the regime could dowould be to -- if it wanted to show some interest in a political opening, inthat country, would be to release the political prisoners, because they,after all, are part of --MR. ROSE: You mean the Cuban political prisoners they're holding.DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Exactly. The Cuban political prisoners -MR. ROSE: You know what people would say --DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: -- begin -- let me just make one step --MR. ROSE: Okay.DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: -- towards taking a step towards a morepluralistic society.MR. ROSE: Is that because of how many former Cubans are in Miami? Becausethere are political prisoners held by a thousand governments we deal with.Egypt, for example. Russia. They have political prisoners, do they not? DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Yes, and -MR. ROSE: China, especially China.DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: And we pressure them.MR. ROSE: But it's no different. Why don't we hold them up and say releasepolitical prisoners. George Shultz, on this program, former Secretary ofState, who you admire --DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Indeed.MR. ROSE: You know what his policy is. You know what he thinks about theCuban embargo policy? He thinks it's a terrible idea. Do you? What's theargument for the Cuban embargo today, so that they'll release politicalprisoners?DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: No. The argument is that it's a repressiveregime. And look, this is a policy. Charlie, this is a policy that hasexisted for as long as I have been --MR. ROSE: I know. But I can't believe --DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: -- a career diplomat.MR. ROSE: I know, but I can't believe you believe in the policy. I reallycan't.DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well, here's what --MR. ROSE: You might not be able to speak to it, because you're the DeputySecretary of State. But here's the former Republican Deputy Secretary ofState, has had more cabinet positions than any other --DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well, I don't see any (inaudible) out therein the Congress or elsewhere for lifting the embargo. I really don't.MR. ROSE: And that's the reason it hasn't been lifted.DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Right. Well that's one of the reasons. Butit, I mean, let's keep our eye on the Cuban problem, which is that it's arepressive regime. And this -- the passage of Castro could be, could be anopportunity for a real change in the political scene. You mentioned theseother countries. But we're talking about our hemisphere. And in thishemisphere, if you look at the evolution of the past 25 or 30 years, everygovernment -- virtually every government, I think every government isdemocratic save one. And that's the government of Cuba. I mean, thepicture's a heck of a lot better than when the --MR. ROSE: Venezuela's a democratic government?DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well, that's the -- the -- probably the onewhere you have to -- where that -- democracy has been put under severestress in recent years. But if you look at the hemisphere today compared tothe way it looked in 1970 or '75 or 1980, I mean, things really havechanged. And Cuba is kind of the outlaw here....MR. ROSE: There is some indication that Raul is different from his brother,isn't there?DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Some, but not -- not enough.MR. ROSE: What would happen when Castro dies? What's likely to happen?DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well, I --MR. ROSE: What does your intelligence show you? What does your -- I mean,you used to be the head of intelligence.DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Well I -- but I would tell us that, you know,we don't have that great an insight as to the internal dynamics of Cuba. I think a number of people would say to you, well, maybe when he dies thatmight be the point at which people are willing to come out and take more ofa chance to try and really force some kind of a political change. I don'tknow. I really don't know. But I think it's important to try and keep thehope for freedom alive in that country.
---Here's what George Shultz said on the Charlie Rose show that Rose was referring to: "I think our policy of sanctions against Cuba is ridiculous. During the cold war it made sense because it was a Russian base. They used it for flying spying missions, and so on, but that's over. And all we do by our sanctions is allow Castro, and now maybe his brother, to blame the problems of Cuba on us. And at the same time I think particularly now that there's some transitioning of some kind probably coming about, we're much more likely to get a constructive outcome if there's a lot of interaction. And to try to prevent interaction under these circumstances, I don't think is sensible."-- former Secretary of State George Shuttz interviewed by Charlie Rose, 4/24/08
LETTER FROM MIAMI
Younger Cuban-Americans want a softer U.S. approach to island
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/29/america/letter.php,
Analizan en Madrid manipulación mediática contra Cuba
Madrid, 30 abr (PL) El tema de las agresiones contra Cuba a través de la manipulación mediática de la opinión pública fue el centro de un debate realizado a sala llena en el Ateneo de Madrid.La exposición y explicación de ese tipo de ataques estuvieron a cargo de Ángeles Diez, socióloga y profesora de la Universidad Complutense de esta capital, y José Manzaneda, cineasta y director del canal Cubainformación, de televisión en Internet.Desde diversos ángulos, ambos detallaron anoche las distintas formas de agresión desarrolladas por los gobiernos norteamericanos contra Cuba en los últimos 50 años, en particular a través de la manipulación mediática convertida en intervención.Se trata de la utilización de medios de comunicación como armas de intervención, de construir enemigos para la necesaria propaganda hacia el interior de Estados Unidos, de intervenir en las mentes de su propia población, indicaron los expositores.Según esa estrategia, Cuba es para Washington un objetivo mediático y a la vez militar y el bloqueo, las agresiones directas e indirectas, los ataques y la guerra mediática constituyen una unidad.Dentro de esa perspectiva también se insertan varias de las llamadas Organizaciones No Gubernamentales, como Reporteros Sin Fronteras, convertida en agente perfecto para la estrategia de Estados Unidos, subrayaron Diez y Manzaneda.Entre los casos presentados como ejemplos de manipulación mediática mencionaron el de los cinco luchadores antiterroristas cubanos presos en Estados Unidos desde hace 10 años.El debate estuvo organizado por la sección iberoamericana del Ateneo de Madrid, con la colaboración de la Coordinadora estatal de solidaridad con Cuba y el Colectivo 26 de julio.
El trabajo dignifica, si te dejan...
Ingrid Storgen
Relato de la ejecución
"...salen de sus celdas. Se dan la mano, sonríen. Les leen la sentencia, les sujetan las manos por la espalda con esposas plateadas, les ciñen los brazos al cuerpo con una faja de cuero y les ponen una mortaja blanca como la túnica de los catecúmenos cristianos... abajo la concurrencia sentada en hilera de sillas delante del cadalso como en un teatro... plegaria es el rostro de Spies, firmeza el de Fischer, orgullo el del Parsons, Engel hace un chiste a propósito de su capucha, Spies grita que la voz que vais a sofocar será más poderosa en el futuro que cuantas palabras pudiera yo decir ahora... los encapuchan, luego una seña, un ruido, la trampa cede, los cuatro cuerpos cuelgan y se balancean en una danza espantable..."
José Marti (Corresponsal en Chicago de "La Nación" de Buenos Aires)
http://www.kaosenlared.net/noticia/57669/trabajo-dignifica-si-te-dejan,
LA EMERGENCIA Y SOBERANÍA ALIMENTARIA DE NUESTROS PUEBLOS
Palabras de Daniel Ortega.
http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2936,
PENA DE MUERTE-CUBA: Se afianza moratoria
http://www.ipsnoticias.net/nota.asp?idnews=88250,
Raúl se libera de la sombra de Fidel
José Manuel Martín Medem, periodista y corresponsal de TVE en La Habana entre 2001 y 2004
http://www.publico.es/076137/raul/libera/sombra/fidel#comentarios,
Los 60 en Cuba: La imagen en Revolución
http://www.cubarte.cult.cu/global/loader.php?cat=actualidad&cont=showitem.php&tabla=entrevista&id=6366&seccion=Opini%C3%B3n&tipo=,
CONVOCATORIA del Centro de Estudios Che Guevara
Convocan a los intelectuales y artistas latinoamericanos aexpresar con sus lenguajes y herramientas -palabras, sonidos, imágenes- la dimensión contemporánea y viva de el Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara Aleida March (Centro de Estudios Che Guevara)
Para recordar el aniversario 80 del natalicio del Comandante Ernesto Guevara, el Centro de Estudios Che Guevara, el Centro Cultural Pablo de la Torriente Brau y la Casa de las Américas convocan a los intelectuales y artistas latinoamericanos a expresar con sus lenguajes y herramientas -palabras, sonidos, imágenes- la dimensión contemporánea y viva de esta figura universal que continúa aportando su ejemplo y su inteligencia a la lucha de nuestros pueblos por la justicia y la libertad. Las obras serán publicadas en un sitio web, que será puesto en línea para conmemorar el 80 cumpleaños del Che, en el próximo mes de junio.Los envíos pueden hacerse a estas direcciones electrónicas:centroche@enet.cu y che80@centropablo.cult.cu Fmdo: Aleida March. Directora Centro de Estudios Che Guevara
No a la impunidad: Amenazas de muerte y agresiones a Editorial Nuestra América
http://viejoblues.com/Bitacora/,
Raúl Castro’s Big Gamble
He is betting that he can improve living standards while also keeping the lid on political dissent.
By Jorge G. Castañeda http://www.newsweek.com/id/134271,
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