May 19, 1997

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THE INDEPENDENT PRESS BUREAU IN CUBA

1) State Security threatens the director of Havana Press.

2) July 13th Movement calls for the members of the Democracy Flotilla to show restraint.

HAVANA, May 16, 1997 (BPIC).- Joaquin Torres Alvares, the director of the independent news agency Havana Press, was threatened by a State Security official, in the afternoon hours of Wednesday, May 14th, with a possible jail term for his alleged participation in a summons to the Social Christian Democrats in the capital.

At around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the State Security officer named Aramis, went to Torres Alvarez's home, located in the neighborhood of Virgen del Camino, Havana, and told the independent journalist that he had issued a summons to the humanitarian organization Social Christian Democrats to call upon the Cuban people to sign a document in favor of a resolution to the issue of Cuba-United States, something which our colleague challenged.

"What I did was to inform the public as to what they were proposing to do with the gathering of signatures", said Torres Alvares to the officer, who admonished him, calling him one of the most aggressive journalists. The officer also told the director of Havana Press of the Interior Ministry's decision that he was not allowed to leave the country, in spite of the fact that Torres Alvares has not applied for any such permit to leave.

Concerning the jail threats, Joaquin Torres Alvares told the State Security officer the following: "I won't be the first or the last Cuban to end up in jail. Or course, I will continue defending my right to freedom of expression".

Reported by Mercedes Moreno

2) July 13th Movement calls for the members of the Democracy Flotilla to show restraint.

HAVANA, May 16, 1997 (BPIC).- The Cuban opposition movement July 13th, which is presided in Havana by Mrs. Nancy de Varona, issued this May 15th, a call to all the participants in the Democracy Flotilla to show restraint and not to cross into Cuban territorial waters, to prevent a deepening of the dispute between Cuba and the United States, and also to avoid incidents.

The Democracy Flotilla is scheduled to leave Miami and head towards the limit of Cuban territorial waters next May 17th, accompanied by planes from Brothers to the Rescue.

Reported by Mercedes Moreno.

Translated for CubaNet by Lourdes Arriete