Yahoo! June 1, 2000
Court Says No Elian Asylum Hearing
By ERIN Mcclam, Associated Press Writer.
ATLANTA (AP) - A federal appeals court sided with Elian Gonzalez's father today in the 6-month-old international custody battle, ruling that immigration officials acted properly when they denied an asylum hearing for the Cuban boy.
Under the ruling, Elian must remain in the United States for 14 days to give his Miami relatives a chance to appeal.
The three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the Immigration and Naturalization Service's decision that only a parent can act for his 6-year-old child in immigration matters ``comes within the range of reasonable choices.'' It said the principle held true even if the
parent was in another country and the child was in the United States.
Minutes after the ruling, lawyers for the boy's Miami relatives sought help from Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who handles emergency matters from the 11th Circuit for the nation's highest court.
The request urged Kennedy's help ``to assure that Elian will remain in the United States'' until the full Supreme Court can consider a formal appeal.
``No child, whatever may be his immigration status, deserves fewer judicial rights than hardened criminals. Surely, this traumatized and innocent child deserves the court's consideration and protection,'' the request said.
Kennedy has the authority to act on the request himself, but he was more likely to refer it to the full Supreme Court.
After the decision was announced, protesters in Miami screamed and cried outside the Little Havana home where Elian lived for months with his relatives.
``It is not over yet - God is with us,'' said Sandra Linar, a 40-year-old homemaker. She held a sign with a photo of Elian and his mother, who died in a boat sinking while trying to bring him to the United States.
Elian has been in this country since Thanksgiving Day, when fishermen found him clinging to an inner tube off the coast of Florida. In addition to Elian's mother, 10 other people died after the boat capsized.
Elian's Miami relatives cared for him until he was seized April 22 in a government raid and reunited in Washington with his father, who was allowed to leave Cuba while pursuing his attempt to regain custody. Since then, Elian has been living with his father in the Washington area, barred by the
appeals court from leaving the country pending the decision.
Cuba Wraps Up Sugar Harvest
HAVANA, 31 (AP) - Cuba's crucial sugar harvest yielded slightly less than the government's target of 4.1 million metric tons, but officials noted Wednesday that final figures still show an improvement over the previous harvest.
The final production figure for the 1999-2000 harvest was 4.05 million metric tons, the Communist Party daily Granma reported.
The newspaper quoted Cuba's sugar minister, Gen. Ulises Rosales del Toro, as saying that authorities decided to call the harvest finished and not cause ``pointless damage'' to the sugar industry by insisting that the goal be met.
Cuba reported production of 3.8 million metric tons for the 1998-1999 harvest.
Although no longer Cuba's No. 1 source of hard currency, sugar remains a key part of the communist island's economy - accounting for about half of all export income - and its harvest remains a key indicator of overall economic health. Tourism has overtaken sugar in recent years as Cuba's top
money maker.
Critics of Fidel Castro's government use the sugar production figures as proof that the country still remains in financial crisis a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Cuba's sugar industry has been hard hit by low prices on the world market.
While Cuba exported an increase of 571,000 tons of sugar from the 1998-1999 harvest over the previous harvest, export income from sugar was $117 million less, Rosales de Toro said.
Black U.S. Lawmakers Visit Cuba
By Paul Shepard, Associated Press Writer.
HAVANA, 31 (AP) - Three members of the Congressional Black Caucus began a five-day visit to Cuba on Wednesday to explore the prospect of relaxing the United States' 38-year-old economic embargo against the communist country.
That possibility may have gained strength in the aftermath of the Elian Gonzalez case and a recent House vote to give China status as a normal trade partner, members said.
``Like no other time before, we are seeing different groups, like some Republicans, farm interests, church groups and others starting to push to end the embargo,'' said Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who is leading the delegation. ``Our country is ready to re-examine our Cuba policy.''
Clyburn, along with Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., planned to meet with government ministers, educators and business people and tour the city of Santiago de Cuba, the island's center of Afro-Caribbean culture.
While a total lifting of the embargo does not seem imminent, the lawmakers said they would be satisfied if the House approves legislation to allow American sales of food and medicine to Cuba.
Both Thompson and Clyburn represent hard-pressed farmers looking for new markets.
During a meeting with Economics Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez, the congressmen sought, and received, assurances that black farmers would be not ignored in any trade agreements with American producers.
Later, the delegation strolled along the cobblestone streets of Old Havana, near the capital's famous Malecon seawall.
``I believe we ought to be pushing diplomacy with everybody,'' Thompson said. ``We should not be condemning them because they have a different government than we do.''
Americans and Cubans exchanged warm embraces and joked in the early morning hours Wednesday after the delegation arrived, underscoring the friendly relationship that traditionally has existed between black American lawmakers and the island. This marks the fifth visit by members of the black
caucus in the last 18 months.
Cuban authorities appreciate especially the support black congressional members have shown during their battle to return 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez to his father. Rodriguez repeated that gratitude Wednesday when he met with caucus members around a large oval table at the ministry.
Clyburn said that representatives of the 38 black members in Congress had planned this visit well before the Gonzalez case focused American attention on U.S.-Cuban relations and before last week's landmark vote to grant permanent, normal trade status to China.
Several farmers groups have visited the island in recent months and are pushing members of Congress to dismantle or substantially weaken the embargo imposed by President Kennedy in 1962.
Over the opposition of Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the House will vote later this month on a provision in an agricultural bill to license U.S. sales of food and medicine to Cuba as long as they aren't subsidized by U.S. taxpayers.
Supporters of the embargo maintain it is necessary to punish Fidel Castro's government and help foster internal opposition to his 41-year rule.
But Thompson said he doubted a few more years of the embargo would succeed where the previous decades of choking off trade had failed.
``I don't think Castro is going anywhere,'' Thompson said. ``I think the only people who are suffering (from the embargo) are the seniors and the children.''
Rev. Lucius Walker, executive director of Pastors for Peace, a New York-based nonprofit church group which organized the lawmakers' visit, said that if any silver lining could be seen from the battle over 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez, it is heightened awareness of the Cuban embargo among Americans.
Gonzalez was found floating at sea Thanksgiving Day off the Florida coast and was placed in the temporary custody of relatives in Miami. They sought to keep the boy from returning to Cuba despite the wishes of his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez. Now both sides await a court ruling that will
determine where the boy lives.
``As traumatic as it was (for) Elian and his family, the positive is that more and more people are seeing the cruelty of the blockade,'' Walker said. ``If we didn't have this blockade, the Elian situation wouldn't have happened. And people are listening to that message now.''
Americans to Begin Weekly Cruise Vacations to Cuba: Cuban Grammy Winner Chucho Valdes to Perform
Company Press Release. SOURCE: Valtur Prima. Wednesday May 31, 2:36 pm Eastern Time
MILAN, Italy, May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- History will be made at 7:00 pm on June 2 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, as the first American tourists to travel to Cuba legally in almost 40 years board the five star cruise liner, Valtur Prima.
Americans will spend two days in Havana as well as a full day on the beach on Cuba's Isle of Youth.
This inaugural cruise for Americans will feature special performances by world-renown Cuban jazz pianist, Chucho Valdes.
The five star, Valtur Prima, has been making weekly visits to Cuba for almost two years as part of its seven day Caribbean itinerary which includes stops in Havana and the Isle of Youth in Cuba, Montego Bay in Jamaica, Cancun in Mexico, and Grand Cayman.
Since all tourists from the U.S. who travel to Cuba aboard the Valtur Prima will be ``fully hosted,'' they can visit in full compliance with U.S. laws. Such visits are specifically allowed if the American spends no money in Cuba. Valtur Prima has arranged that all shore excursions by Americans
will be fully hosted.
Winner of the Grammy in 1998, Chucho Valdes, will perform two sets for the passengers on June 3. Valdes performs regularly in the United States including recent solo concerts at Lincoln Center and the Smithsonian Institution. Valdes' performance will be the first in a series of regular concerts
on the Valtur Prima by Cuban entertainers.
The Valtur Prima departs every Friday from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Reservations for the cruise cannot be made through U.S. travel agents, but can be booked through Canada at 1-800-387-1387. Air Sea packages are also available from selected cities with Air Jamaica.
Promotional advertisements announcing the Valtur Prima program appeared in USA TODAY on Friday, May 26 and in The New York Times on Sunday, May 28.
According to Cuba's Ministry of Tourism, 180,000 Americans visited Cuba last year, but cruises on the Valtur Prima represent the only legal way for Americans to travel to Cuba as tourists.
Valtur Prima:
Completely rebuilt in 1995, the Valtur Prima has six passenger decks, 250 cabins and a passenger capacity of 550, along with a 280 person crew. The ship features a sit-down, single seating dining room, lounge, casino, swimming pool, fitness center, disco, cigar room, card room and conference
space for 230. All cabins feature marble baths, full size tub, bidet, make-up mirror, halogen lighting throughout as well as color TV, satellite telephone, electronic safe, and mini bar.
Jesus ``Chucho'' Valdes:
Often called the Duke Ellington of Cuba, Jesus ``Chucho'' Valdes was described by Bill Kohlaase of the Los Angeles Times, as ``sweeter than sugar, more satisfying than a cigar, pianist Chucho Valdes, embargo or not, may be Cuba's most valuable export.''
In 1973, along with other Cuban musicians -- including saxaphonist, Paquito Rivera; guitarist, Carlos Emilio; and bassist, Carlitos del Puerto -- Valdes founded Irakere, the now legendary group which transformed Cuban music. In 1978, Irakere became the first modern Cuban group to sign with a
U.S. label. Valdes won a Grammy with Irakere's debut album. In 1997, Valdes was a featured artist on Roy Hargrove's all-star Cristol project whose recording ``Havana'' won a Grammy in 1998.
Valdes released a solo album in 1998 entitled, "Bele Bele En La Habana.''
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