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CUBA
NEWS
The
Miami Herald
Cuban dissidents sick in jail, relatives say
By Andrea Rodriguez, Associated
Press Writer. Tue Aug 26.
HAVANA - Five months after the communist government's
crackdown on the opposition, relatives of some
imprisoned Cuban dissidents say their loved ones
have become sick behind bars and are receiving
poor treatment.
The arrests and rapid trials earlier this year
drew international condemnation, with charges
that Fidel Castro unjustly cracked down on his
political opponents at a time when the world's
attention was on the Iraq war.
The Cuban government has not responded to the
family's specific complaints about poor hygiene
and substandard medical treatment for their jailed
loved ones, but authorities insist their human
rights and health are being respected.
Writer and poet Raul Rivero, 57, has lost 50
pounds and "looks like a little old man,"
his wife, Blanca Reyes, told The Associated Press.
Rivero was sentenced to 20 years during the spring
crackdown, which accused 75 independent reporters,
political activists and other dissidents of working
with U.S. officials to undermine Fidel Castro's
government. The opponents and the American government
have denied the charges.
"In Cuba, there exists a whole legal system
that prevents the violation of rights, especially
any danger to physical integrity," Foreign
Minister Felipe Perez Roque said of the imprisoned
dissidents in June.
Arrested in March and sentenced in April, Rivero
is serving his sentence in solitary confinement
in the central province of Ciego de Avila.
Reyes said her husband passes time exercising,
reading, and sunning himself for an hour each
day.
Gisela Delgado, wife of jailed political activist
Hector Palacios, said her 62-year-old husband
has an ear infection.
"His daily life is hell," Delgado said
of Palacios, who is serving 25 years in the western
province of Pinar del Rio.
Nevertheless, she said, Palacios "remains
strong and is in good spirits." Delgado said
her spouse spends time reading history books and
biographies, from the late Indian leader Mahatma
Gandhi to cinematic pioneer Charles Chaplin.
Three other journalists sentenced in the crackdown
- Mario Enrique Mayo, Adolfo Fernandez Sainz and
Ivan Hernandez - are among seven inmates at a
prison in the eastern province of Holguin now
on hunger strike, the Reporters Without Borders
said this week.
There was no independent confirmation of the
claims by the Paris-based press advocacy group.
Cuban exiles get a place, but no more reason
to protest Latin Grammy
MIAMI, 27 (AFP) - Now that they finally got a
permit to protest the Latin Grammy Awards, Cuban
exiles in Miami say they no longer have a reason
to do so as artists from the communist-run island
won't be attending the bash.
Instead, says Emilio Izquierdo who advocates
a cultural boycott of Cuba, "we will demonstrate
our support for this great fiesta."
With no last minute battles in sight, organizers
and city officials heaved a sigh of relief.
Disagreements over planned protests had previously
lost Miami the chance of hosting the music fest,
which went to Los Angeles last year.
But this year, police, organizers and the group
of exiles led by Izquierdo, a former political
prisoner in Cuba, agreed to designate a spot for
the protests, within view of the arena where the
show will be staged on September 3.
In any case, the agreement seems certain to be
moot, as Cuba-based musicians have not received
visas to travel to the United States.
Izquierdo says his band of protesters can claim
credit for this. "We made the US authorities
understand that Castro's tyranny should not be
here through its artists," he told AFP.
The 205 nominees for the prestigious Latin music
awards include Cuba-based Ibrahim Ferrer, of Buena
Vista Social Club fame, Cuban-jazz star Chucho
Valdez, and the salsa band Los Van Van.
"We are not against any artist, but as long
as he is an employee of the tyrant who during
44 years took away Cubans' rights, it is not logical
that they should come here, where Cubans have
fled to in search of freedom," he said.
Not all of Miami's more than 700,000 Cuban-Americans
support calls to ban Cuba-based musicians from
performing in the United States.
"What we stand for is freedom of speech,"
said Joe Garcia, who heads the influential Cuban
American National Foundation (CANF).
"I'm not scared of four guys playing guitars.
They won't turn me into a communist," he
says.
But he insisted that artists who travel from
Havana "do represent a reprehensible regime,"
and said it was perfectly understandable that
Cuban exiles would be upset.
"So am I. And I would be just as pissed
off if an all-white South African boys choir had
shown up during Apartheid, or Hitler's youth choir
during the 40s," he said.
He hailed the decision to stage the event in
Miami.
"Miami is the capital of Latin America,
the music capital of Latin America," he said.
And any protest, he said, would be overshadowed
by the caliber of the Latin superstars.
"The protesters would be competing with
Thalia's ass, with the greatest Latin artists
of our time.
The Mexican crossover star will be among the
artists performing at the awards ceremony, alongside
four-time Latin Grammy winner Juanes, from Colombia,
and Puerto Rican heartthrob Ricky Martin.
Four-time champion Pedroso out of long jump
PARIS, 27 (AFP) - Four-time winner Ivan Pedroso
pulled out of the long jump qualifying round at
the world athletics championships.
The 30-year-old Cuban had just one attempt before
deciding not to go for his next two jumps.
Another high profile casualty was the American
long jumper Savante Stringfellow.
Stringfellow, the top outdoor jumper in the world
last year and the World Championships silver medallist
two years ago, could only reach a best of 7.83m
with his three efforts and failed to make the
final as one of the top 12 qualifiers.
The qualifying competition was led by Spain's
Yago Lamela with 8.19m.
In the absence of Pedroso and Stringfellow, Lamela
will start as the favourite in Friday's final.
The 1999 World Championships silver medallist
suffered from two years of injuries following
his Seville second-place but eight days ago the
Spaniard showed that he has finally returned to
his best form with a world-leading leap of 8.53m.
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