Published Wednesday, April 4, 2001.
Miami Herald
Cuban 'repression' denounced
WASHINGTON -- (AFP) -- A House resolution on Tuesday denounced the violation
of human rights by the Cuban government and asked the White House to provide
assistance to opposition groups on the island.
It also asked Washington to continue challenging Cuba at the current session
of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. The nonbinding
resolution passed by a 347-44 vote.
Cuban-born Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Miami Republican, said the resolution
"sends a clear signal to the world and the United Nations commission that
the United States remains firm in its position in defense of human rights in
Cuba.''
The document asks President Bush "to directly help the Cuban people and
independent organizations . . . to strengthen the forces of change'' in Cuba.
It also denounces the "repression and totalitarian acts'' committed by
the government of President Fidel Castro.
Since 1990, the U.N. human rights panel has condemned Cuba 10 times. In
1998, however, it rejected an American motion to that effect.
In Havana on Tuesday, the National Assembly's vice president, Jaime Crombet,
rejected the resolution, saying, "We will not accept pressure from anyone
and will enforce our laws consistently to defend ourselves from those who
violate them.''
This year, some nations at the Geneva forum have stated they will censure
the Cuban government and call for an end to the 40-year U.S. trade embargo
against Cuba.
In response, Crombet said, "One cannot reject the blockade against Cuba
and at the same time be an accomplice of the empire that attempts to justify
it.''
The Latin Grammys are coming to Miami
Organizers, civic leaders, musicians appear thrilled by decision to have
show
By Jordan Levin . jlevin@herald.com. Published Thursday,
April 5, 2001
It was hard to say who was happier Wednesday when Miami was officially
granted the second Latin Grammy Awards -- the event's organizers, who finally
got their preferred site; civic leaders, who felt redeemed; or South Florida
musicians, who felt validated.
"This is a celebration,'' Michael Greene, president and CEO of the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, said in announcing the Sept. 12
show from an AmericanAirlines Arena stage crowded with prominent South
Floridians. "Miami is such a unique portal. And I think the excitement and
vitality of this show in this city is something that is going to translate
across the screen to the audience.''
The Latin Grammys will be broadcast live by CBS to 700 million viewers in
100 countries, Jack Sussman, the network's senior vice president of specials,
said at Wednesday's event.
"We are confident that this will only cement Miami's position as an
international community and the Latin music capital of the world,'' Miami-Dade
Mayor Alex Penelas said. "This ceremony honors our wonderful Latin artists.
But it also honors our community.''
Political opposition to the potential inclusion of Cuban artists sent the
first Latin Grammys to Los Angeles last year, and the many references to
politics at Wednesday's announcement testified how significant the Cuba issue
was to the long negotiations to bring this year's show to Miami.
"It is important for all of you to know that there is a heartfelt
recognition of the pain of people who call Cuba home,'' Greene said in
addressing Cuban exiles. "But the dialogue and understanding that can be
derived from [the Grammys] is the best part. We are a community that is
passionate, that argues -- but at the end of the day, we celebrate the fact that
we are a community.''
Among the host of officials and artists who shared the AmericanAirlines
Arena stage with Penelas and Greene were Miami Beach Mayor Neisen Kasdin; Nikki
Grossman, president/CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors
Bureau; Jorge Mas Santos, chairman of the Cuban American National Foundation and
co-chair with Penelas of the Latin Grammys host committee; William Talbert,
president/CEO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau; producer
Emilio Estefan and nearly two dozen artists, among them Carlos Ponce, José
José, Soraya and MDO.
In addition to raising the area's profile internationally, the event will
provide concrete economic benefits. Last year's inaugural Latin Grammys, which
drew 10,000 people to Los Angeles' Staples Center, were estimated to have
contributed $19 million to the Southern California economy.
But on this day, the excitement had less to do with increased tourism
business and image boosting and more with an intangible sense of validation --
that Miami had overcome political differences and been chosen for the most
significant celebration of Latin music's vitality.
"This is the perfect event to show that this is the city and the place
for Latin music,'' said Nicaraguan singer Luis Enrique, who lives in Kendall.
On Tuesday, the Cuban exile group Presidio Politico Cubano, representing 39
exile organizations, held a press conference to announce that it would not
support the Latin Grammys if Cuban artists were included. Miami Mayor Joe
Carollo, who had earlier signed a letter supporting the Grammys in Miami, spoke
in support of Presidio Politico Cubano at the event.
But the fact that the show is going forward, even with what Greene called
the likely inclusion of Cuban artists, was portrayed as a sign that Miami's
Cuban-American community had grown more tolerant and would be able to
demonstrate that to the world.
"This community represents the freedom of expression and human rights
that we want for our homeland,'' Mas said. "It's right to stand for
democracy, freedom of expression and tolerance.''
"As a citizen of this country and of Miami we live in a very diverse
community, and we have to respect other people's opinions and their right to
believe what they want,'' Estefan added. "I feel that we won a great
victory today.''
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