Distributed by Cubanet
FROM CUBA
HAVANA, November 1, 1996. (BPIC). INDEPENDENT PRESS BUREAU IN CUBA. Cuba's dependence on tourism has led to an increase in the risk of contacting AIDS. Until recently, the segments at the highest risk of getting the disease were the, so called, internationalists, soldiers sent by Castro to Africa, as well as, sexually promiscuous individuals.
Presently, it is those people in contact with foreigners who are facing the highest risk of getting the disease. In spite of the fact that the communist regime is not open about it, the experts believe that the statistics of the number of people infected have increased considerably. The true numbers of people sick with the disease is classified as highly secret and those statistics are controlled by the Minister of Public Health and Security. According to activist Romelio Antonio Rodriguez Naranjo, provincial delegate for Villa Clara for the Maceo Movement for Dignity, those sick with AIDS who are in prison, are not getting any medical attention. Many of them commit suicide and others have attempted against their lives, like inmate Ribalta Carazana, who stabbed his eyes with a syringe.
Reported by Luis Lopez Prendes.
STONES THROWN ON DISSIDENT'S HOME.
BARACOA, November 1, 1996. INDEPENDENT PRESS BUREAU IN CUBA, (BPIC). The home of Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina, located in Marti #434, Apt. F, Second Floor, Baracoa, Guantanamo; was stoned during the evening of Friday, October 25th, by paramilitary forced called "Rapid Action Brigades". The Independent Press Bureau in Cuba received this report from Radames Garcia de la Vega, a member of opposition group "Youth for Democracy", whose president is Rodriguez Lobaina.
Garcia de la Vega stated that Lobaina went to the police station in Baracoa, to denounce the attack against his home and the only thing that he was told was that if he insisted on linking (State) Security to the attack against his home he would be charged with defamation.
Rodriguez Lobaina was beaten back in 1991, in the streets, during an undercover operative by (State) Security and as a result of the beating he he underwent surgery on his left foot.
Reported by Lazaro Lazo. (BPIC).
A 20 YEAR SENTENCE AWAITS CUBAN-AMERICAN.
HAVANA, November 1, 1996. (BPIC). The State Attorney at the Provincial tribunal in Havana, has asked for a 20 year prison sentence for Cuban-American citizen Juan Ignacio Hernandez Nodal, in a trial which took place on Tuesday, October 28th, with the forced witnesses in attendance, baseball players Orlando Duque Hernandez and German Meza, both from the capital city; from Pinar del Rio were Daniel Lazo and Pedro Luis Lazo; and Alberto Hernandez from Holguin.
During the trial, the defense attorney clearly proved that Hernandez Nodal, a talent scout for professional baseball teams, was not involved in most of the charges brought against him.
Hernandez Nodal, detained in Villa Marista, general headquarters for the political police, awaits now for the final sentencing as the trial ended.
The governmental organizations which control sports in the Cuba, also suspended baseball players Orlando Duque Hernandez, German Meza and Alberto Hernandez for life. This information was unexpected by the Cuban sports fans, who have followed the success of these players until very recently.
Reported by Mercedes Moreno, BPIC.
HORRIBLE CONDITIONS OF CLEANLINESS IN HOSPITALS.
SANCTI SPIRITUS, November 1, 1996 (BPIC). The patients who have undergone surgery at the Camilo Cienfuegos Hospital in this province, have started exhibiting complications and incidents of sepsis over the first 72 hours after surgery and immediate post-op conditions.
The surgery wings are not adequately implementing the desinfecting protocol with formaldehyde over the required time, in order to prevent contamination from one patient to another. They are also not fumigating periodically in the operating rooms and rats and roaches are found there abundantly.
In addition, at times, they suspend operations due to lack of surgical gloves, scalpels and antibiotics. Due to these conditions, the communist leadership of this municipality has ordered that all the leadership personnel in the hospital must be a member of the Communist Party, because that's how the communist leaders in the region think they can keep the news of these problems from the enemy.
HOSPITALIZED DISSIDENT IS ATTACKED
HAVANA, November 1, 1996 (BPIC).
On October 29th, at about 1 P.M., as Mrs. Sonia Contreras went to visit her daughter at Salvador Allende hospital, they denied her access to her daughter because, as the prison official stated, the only one who could authorize the visit was Mayor Alexis from (State) Security.
This incident took place in the prison ward of the hospital. Mrs. Sonia Contreras begged the officer to allow her to see her daughter, but the officer was rude to her and ordered her to leave the premises.
Later, once the mother of dissident Ajanet Hernan Contreras left the hospital, the guard on duty entered her cell and started beating the inmate, who defended herself.
Ajaner has been in poor health for 9 months and they have repeatedly denied her family visits.
Reported by Norma Brito