Cuba blocks dissidents' election bids

By PABLO ALFONSO
Herald Staff Writer

The Cuban government has denied political dissidents an opportunity to run for seats in the National Assembly in the January election, an opposition leader told The Herald Tuesday from Havana.

At least 10 dissidents filed election petitions with candidacy committees in Havana and Cienfuegos provinces in late November, said Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas, president of the Liberation Christian Movement and a declared candidate for deputy from the Cerro municipality in Havana.

None of the names were forwarded by the candidacy committees to the municipal assemblies for consideration, even though each petition was supported by dozens of signatures from local residents, Paya said.

``I personally delivered to the Cerro Municipal Assembly a petition for my candidacy, with the signatures of 96 local residents,'' Paya said.

``These petitions are a direct expression of the will of the people,'' he said, ``yet none of us were nominated'' and all bids ``were rejected, even though it is the people who presumably nominate the candidates.''

According to Cuban law, candidacy committees in each municipality nominate candidates for the national election. The committees include delegates from organizations like the Cuban Women's Federation, the Cuban Workers' Association and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution.

The candidacy committee in each city submits the candidates' names to the municipal assembly, which selects the single person who will run for national office.

In the more than 20 years since Cuba has held national elections with one-party candidates, the government of President Fidel Castro had never been faced with the challenge of opposition leaders filing for office with the support of independent citizens.

``The right of citizens to choose has been denied,'' Paya said.