By Michael Sneed Sun-Times Columnist.
Chicago Sun-Times. February 22, 2001
Dateline: Havana--Sneed hears Cuban President Fidel Castro plans to award
500 scholarships to underprivileged American students to study medicine in Cuba!
Sneed also is told former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, who lunched with Castro on
Wednesday, is holding a press conference today endorsing the lifting of
America's embargo of Cuba. Simon also invited the Cuban president to attend a
Caribbean summit being held at the University of Southern Illinois this spring.
(Former President Bill Clinton has also been invited.) SIU President James
Walker was also at the private luncheon.
Castro, a health guru who insisted everyone at the table drink red wine
because it contains anti-oxidants, praised Gov. Ryan for being a "brave man"
for opening the humanitarian door to Cuba during his visit.
Castro also wanted to know if the White Sox could ever play Cuba's national
baseball team.
The Cuban leader also told the group, which included media consultant Thom
Serafin and former state Rep. Edgar Lopez, that he admired Secretary of State
Colin Powell and had Powell's book translated into Spanish, which he then sent
Powell as a token of esteem.
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