TWO JOURNALISTS ARE SUMMONED FOR QUESTIONING.
HAVANA, January 30, 1997 (BPIC).- Two independent journalists, Tania Quintero and Juan Antonio Sanchez from the independent news agency Cuba Press, were summoned to appear at different times by the political police. They must present themselves to members of the State Security apparatus to be questioned regarding the materials and equipment which were confiscated from them, several days ago, across from the Chekoslovakian embassy. This information, which was forwarded to us by Raul Rivero, specifies that he has once again appealed to all organizations in defense of freedom of the press to make this new act of arbitrariness by the Cuban authorities, known. Reported by Lazaro Lazo.
ICE CREAM VENDOR ABANDONS HIS EQUIPMENT.
HAVANA, January 24, 1997 (BPIC). An ice cream vendor abandoned his equipment in the middle of the street at Calzada de Reina in Havana after a state official informed him that it was about to be confiscated. The vendor, Guzman Francisco Morera Torres, 48 years old, informed the Independent Press Bureau that he put his equipment out on the street so that the neighbors would become aware of the injustice which was being committed against him and how property rights are violated. Another 290 ice cream vendors had their licenses to work independently revoked throughout the capital and their equipment, which they had obtained legally, confiscated.
Upon confiscating the equipment, the authorities told the vendors that this was a decision made at the highest levels and that there was no legal recourse. Reported by Omar Rodriguez Saludes.
CUBAN PEACEFUL OPPOSITION MEMBERS MEET WITH SPANISH DEPUTY
HAVANA, January 27, 1997 (BPIC).- Luis N~en~ex Valnuevo Garcia, a deputy from Seville and foreign relations secretary for the Spanish Workers Socialist Party met, in the Cuban capital on January 27, with opposition members Martha Beatriz Roque, Rene Gomez Manzano, Oswaldo Paya Sardinas, and Felix Ponne Carcaceres. At this meeting they talked about different points of view concerning the situation facing the island and also about the policy being followed by the new Spanish government, led by Jose Maria Aznar, towards Cuba. Reported by Omar Rodriguez Saludes.
CUBAN GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES WARN AGAINST PEACEFUL GATHERING.
HAVANA, January 27, 1997 (BPIC). On Sunday, January 26, several members of the peaceful opposition were summoned to appear at the 3rd Unit of the National Police located at Zapata and C streets in Vedado. The summoned members were: Felix Perera Gonzalez, Pedro Pablo Alvarez Ramos, Fernando Sanchez Lopez, Vicente Escobar Rabiero, Rogelio Travieso Perez and Adolfo Fernandez Sainz. In the questionings, which were conducted by members of the State Security Department, they were asked about an alledged peaceful gathering which was to take place on January 27th.
They were all given a warning that they would be subjected to judicial sanctions if they were to broaden their political activity. Reported by Luis Lopez Prendes.
MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY FOR THE DEATH OF FELIX PITA ASTUDILLO.
HAVANA, January 27 (BPIC)
Last January 24, journalist Felix Pita Astudillo died in Havana. Astudillo, a member of the official press in Cuba, through his latest articles published by Granma (official daily newspaper for the Communist Party), attacked, using the strongest terms possible, the indepenent journalists and the members of the peaceful internal opposition. The Independent Press Bureau in Cuba, which defends the universal right to freedom of expression and promotes the national reconciliation of all Cubans with love and not hatreds, wishes to express to the family and colleagues of the deceased, our deepest sympathy. Board of the Independent Press Bureau in Cuba.
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT CURTAILED DURING JOSE MARTI'S ANNIVERSARY
HAVANA, January 26 (BPIC).- State Security prohibits peaceful dissidents from freely moving through the city during Jose Marti's anniversary.
Reinaldo Arnaldes Cardona, executive member of the Association for the Struggle Against National Injustice (ALFIN), informed this bureau that the vicepresident of their organization, Reinaldo Alfaro Garcia, as well as other members of the organization, have been warned by the repressive political police, not to move from their places of residence during January 28th, that they would not be allowed to circulate freely through the city. If such an order were to be disobeyed, there would be severe judicial sanctions levied against them.
The information adds that operatives from the national political police
were closely watching Alfaro Garcia's home so that the warning would not be
disregarded.
Reported by Luis Lopez Prendes.