Miami Caravan Protests Bush’s
anti-Cuban Measures
Havana, July 19
(AIN) South Florida is once again the scene of protests against the latest sanctions
imposed by the Bush administration against Havana, as Cuban-Americans consider them a
clear violation of their human rights.
Now limited to only one visit to the island every three years, a growing number of
Cuban-Americans are openly challenging the forced separation from their families, Granma
newspaper reports on Monday.
A caravan of more than 250 vehicles brandishing Cuban and American flags and posters
condemning the Bush measures took part in the 2-hour protest from the City of Hialeah to
downtown Miami’s Bicentennial Park.
Along the path of the caravan, passengers of other cars and many pedestrians lifted their
hands in support, while signs of rejection were few.
When arriving at Biscayne Boulevard, a plane flew overhead welcoming the demonstrators
with a banner that read: “Bush, don’t divide the Cuban family.”
Cuba
and Mexico Re-establish Relations at Ambassador Level
Havana, July 18 (AIN) The governments of Cuba and Mexico agreed today to re-establish
bilateral relations at the level of ambassadors, effective July 26.
The announcement was made by the foreign ministers
of the two countries, Felipe Pérez Roque and Luis Ernesto Derbez, during a press
conference at the end of their talks in Havana Sunday.
Minister Pérez Roque termed the meeting with
Derbez as broad and very frank. The Havana talks were a continuation of a previous contact
between the two foreign ministers in Guadalajara, during the Third European Union-Latin
America and the Caribbean Summit.
Pérez Roque explained that on July 26 Mexican
Ambassador Roberta Lajous Vargas will be in Havana and Ambassador Jorge Bolaños Suárez
will be in Mexico City, on a date that Cubans traditionally observe as a national
festivity.
The Cuban foreign minister stressed that both
ambassadors will carry out their duties as customary, in full compliance with the laws of
the host country and guided by the search for opportunities to consolidate mutual ties.
Cuba looks forward to a respectful relationship,
as does Mexico, a relationship based on the principle that between individuals, as between
nations, respect for the rights of others is peace, asserted Minister Pérez Roque,
quoting Mexican
hero Benito Juarez.
Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez, for
his part, said he was thankful for the hospitality accorded to him and praised the
atmosphere of total openness and vision of the future that had prevailed, leading to the
normalization of ties
at ambassador level and paving the way for the issue-by-issue settlement of items
remaining on the bilateral agenda.
With both heads of missions back in the respective
capitals, he said, next would be the expansion of economic and financial ties.
Pérez Roque ratified the love that Cubans feel
for the Mexican people, for whom, he said, there is a special place in the history and the
hearts of Cubans. The two people are joined by a friendship that cannot be broken, noted
the Cuban foreign
minister.
Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez
arrived in Havana on Sunday morning and returned later that evening./2004
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