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11/03/09 - Prensa Latina - Direct from Havana (PM)


DIRECT FROM HAVANA, CUBA
LATIN AMERICAN NEWS AGENCY, SA
P R E N S A L A T I N A
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Evening Transmission
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

For up to the minute news: www.plenglish.com

CUBA-NATIONAL NEWS CUBA
Brazil, USA Theater Groups Debate in Cuba


INTERNATIONAL NEWS

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Hope in Honduras for New Plan to End Crisis
Honduran Congress Analyzes Crisis Agreement
Anti-Coupist Front Urges Zelaya Restoration
Positive Brazilian Trade Balance
Argentina, Thailand Progress in Cooperation Plan
Poll Reaffirms Popular Backing of Evo Morales
Honduras Zelaya Restitution a Must, Says Resistance
Venezuela Guards Border From Colombia

US, CANADA, EUROPE
Cuban Diplomat Denounces US Genocide
WHO Mission Visits Ukraine

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Africa: New Vaccine against Malaria

ASIA AND AUSTRALIA
*************************************

CUBA-NATIONAL NEWS CUBA

Brazil, USA Theater Groups Debate in Cuba

Havana, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) Brazilian Folias and US Infinite Stage
theater groups will debate on Tuesday in this capital about stage
creation and poetic stories in contemporary societies, as part of the
theoretical event in the current Havana theater festival. Cuerpo :
Cuban Argos Teatro and Estudio Teatral theater groups, from central
Santa Clara, will join the analysis.

Ivica Buljan, of Mini-Theater from Slovenia, will be in charge of a
three-day workshop about the work by late German dramatist Heiner
Muller (1929-1995), to complete the theoretical event.

The 13th Havana International Theater Festival opened on October 29
and groups from 16 countries are participating, with a large Latin
American representation.

Around 30 Latin American, US and European plays and the same number
from Cuba are being presented in the event, with proposals that cover
the five decades of theater in the Cuban Revolution.

The festival, sponsored by the National Stage Arts Council, will run
until November 8.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Venezuela Guards Border From Colombia

San Antonio, Venezuela, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan authorities
announced the possibility that Tachira police may intervene in the
border violence outbreak in this state b ordering Colombia, which
caused the deaths of two police officers. Cuerpo : Venezuelan
Vice-President and Defense Minister Ramon Carrizallez announced in a
press conference that the national government has to intervene if
Táchira police does not rectify and assumes its role of keeping
security.

Carrizalez said military presence will be increased and security
tightened in the border with Colombia, where the kidnapping and
killing of 10 people, eight of them Colombians, was registered late
last month.

The official thinks that both violet crimes show that Colombian
irregular groups increased their activities in Venezuela, allied with
opposition sectors that try to destabilize the country.

Carrizalez denounced that the Tachira state government led by Cesar
Peres Vivas, who opposes Hugo Chavez, has an important role behind
these plans.

The difficult border situation was worsened by the recent detention
of two members of the Colombian Security Management Department(DAS),
charged with spying in Venezuela.

In the wake of this incident, the Venezuelan government denounced a
spying plan, based on a DAS secret document, which was presented
before the National Assembly by the Interior and Justice Minister
Tareck El Aissami.

Violence intensified because there is a plan to destabilize the
Venezuelan government, including even talks about secession, said
Carrizalez, who repeated that Venezuela is determined to protect
national security and sovereignty.

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Hope in Honduras for New Plan to End Crisis

Tegucigalpa, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) The crisis caused by the coup in
Honduras remains unsolved despite an accord recently reached, however
the setting up of a commission might help unblock the political
standoff and put an end to unconstitutionality. Cuerpo : When the
pact between the representatives of President Manuel Zelaya and those
of the de-facto regime led by Roberto Micheletti was signed in
Friday, many in Honduras and in other parts of the world welcomed
this event as a hope for returning to the Rule of Law.

After inking the document, new contradictions came up, related to
different interpretations on what was agreed, some people present in
the negotiating table said.

According to the de-facto regime, the new proposal does not force the
acceptance of the reinstatement of Zelaya and neither is National
Congress obliged to decide on the matter with urgency, since no
deadline was set.

The Commission is aimed at finding a solution to any difference of
interpretation or implementation that may come up, one of the
representatives of the de-facto regime jurist Vilma Morales said.

Attorney Rodil Rivera, representing Zelaya´s team, stressed that any
attempt to distort or affect the achievement of the agreement is
considered as betraying the country, since the issue that is being
discussed is to halt the coup.

Both parties hope for the Commission to solve the conflict.

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Honduran Congress Analyzes Crisis Agreement

Tegucigalpa, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) The Honduran Congress started
Tuesday the analysis of the agreement expected to resolve the
national crisis triggered by the coup, but it is yet to be defined
when the plenary of the Legislative will discuss the issue. Cuerpo :
The document signed last week by representatives of President Manuel
Zelaya and the de facto regime left in Congressional hands the
restitution of the constitutional leader.

Congress leaders said they would discuss today whether to call a
special session to deal with the restitution of the dignitary, as
agreed in the negotiating table with the mediation of the
Organization of American States (OAS) and the US government.

The board of directors of the unicameral Parliament must analyze the
agreement and set the steps to its implementation, amid a situation
characterized by constant delaying pro coup manoeuvres, denounced the
movement of popular resistance.

After the signing of the agreement last Friday, new disputes emerged
between the Roberto Micheletti's regime and the delegates of Zelaya,
owing to different interpretations about the agreement, according to
representatives of both parties.

The meeting of Congresssional leaders is in session some hours before
the arrive to this capital of a Verification Commission sponsored by
OAS led by Chilean ex President Ricardo Lugos, in charge of
supervising the performance of the agreement.

Lagos told a radio station here that the way out of the Honduran
crisis is "to re-instate President Zelaya owing to limited time left
to end his term in office".

According to the Chilean politician, will be perfect that the
Honduran Legislative puts it to the vote by the legislators as soon
as possible.

The special meeting, without a defined date, must bring together at
less 85 of 128 deputies.

According to Zelaya, the regime of Micheletti is trying to ignore the
spirit of the agreement and he is turning to delaying strategies.

cgm/mjm

Anti-Coupist Front Urges Zelaya Restoration

Tegucigalpa, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) The National Front against the
Coup d´Etat in Honduras warned today that the restoration of
president Manuel Zelaya should be made effective this week to prevent
a deepening of the crisis. Cuerpo : The organization grouping
tradeunionists, peasants, indigenous, women, progressive polititians
and other sectors, will keep a permanent protest in front of the
National Congress building, demanding the approval of the return of
Zelaya to power.

The accords signed on October 30 between the constitutional
government and the de facto regime left in the hands of parliament
the faculty to restablish the existing executive power before the
June 28 coup.

However, popular leaders expressed their concern because some
political sectors and allies to the dictatorship pretend to dismiss
the spirit of what was agreed to through delaying tactics or denying
then compliance with the essential issues.

?This is very dangerous because we are less than one month away of
the electoral process,? warned the general coordinator of the Front,
Juan Barahona.

The organization reiterated its decision to not recognize the polls
of November 29, if the institutional order is not restored.

According to the time schedule, the verifying commission of the
agreements should be installed today, while for Thursday, a Unity and
National Reconciliation Government is expected to be formed.

?The crisis generated by the coup d´Etat will end when the accords
are implemented,? indicated Carlos Eduardo Reina, one of the
resistance movement leaders already in its 129 days of protest
demanding the return to institutionality.

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Positive Brazilian Trade Balance

Brasilia, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) According to the Ministry of
Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) on Tuesday, Brazilian
trade registered a positive balance of US 1.328 billion last October.
Cuerpo : In the 21 working days of last month, this surplus
represented a daily average of US 63.2 million, sum 0.1 percent lower
than reported last September, when the daily average was of US 63.3
million and a 4.7 percent more than the average of October 2008 (US
60.4 million).

The MDIC specifies the exports totaled US 14 billion 82 million,
value 1.6 percent more than last September and 20.3 percent lower
than the same month of 2007, meanwhile the imports summed US 12.7
billion, 1.8 percent more than September and 22.2 percent lower than
October 2008.

>From January to October, the official organ stresses the trade
surplus reached US 22.6 billion, daily average of 108.6 million,
which represents 9,1 percent more than the value registered in the
same period of 2008.

Between January and October this year, exports summed US 125.879
billion and the imports were US 103.280 billion, for a positive trade
balance of US 317.727 billion.

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Argentina, Thailand Progress in Cooperation Plan

Buenos Aires, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) The Argentine and Thai
governments took a step forward in the Association Program to Join
Cooperation as they signed a memorandum of understanding on this
matter, announced the Ministry on Tuesday. Cuerpo : The document,
signed by the International Coordination and Cooperation secretary,
Rodolfo Ojeada and the Thai ambassador, Anucha Osathanond, will be a
starting point to the collaboration, which both sites will carry out
in other countries.

This is an important step to Argentina on cooperation matters with
Southeast Asia, said the Foreign Affairs, International Trade and
Cult Ministry.

The agreement also strengthens the Argentinean government cooperation
action to Latin America and The Caribbean, "being useful to design
projects of greatest magnitude associated countries as Thailand",
pointed the note.

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Poll Reaffirms Popular Backing of Evo Morales

La Paz, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) A national survey on vote intention
carried out by Patria Nueva radio network granted President Evo
Morales 61.5 percent of popular support for upcoming general
elections in December. Cuerpo : At least 1,650 people from main
cities and rural areas were polled, according to network director
Ivan Maldonado.

Candidate Manfred Reyes Villa, from opposition Plan Progreso para
Bolivia-Convergencia Nacional (PPB-CN), follows Morales in people's
preference with 5.5 percent, and Unidad Nacional (UN) candidate,
businessman Samuel Doria Medina ranks third, with 1.45 percent.

According to Maldonado, it is surprising to see the high percentage
of people still undecided (30.9 percent).

According to the survey, Morales' backing was higher in departments
including Potosi (80 percent), Oruro (71.3 percent), Cochabamba (66
percent), La Paz (62.4 percent) and Chuquisaca (60 percent).

He won 57 percent support in Santa Cruz and 56 percent in Tarija.

Beni (30 percent) and Pando (28 percent) were the departments with
less electoral support to the Movement towards Socialism (MAS), and
backing of PPB-CN and UN were even lower.

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Cuban Diplomat Denounces US Genocide

Lima, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) The illegal, genocidal nature of the US
blockade against Cuba was denounced by Cuban Ambassador to Peru Luis
Delfin Perez in an interview with the country's most-listened-to
Radiogramas station. Cuerpo : The diplomat answered questions made by
a panel of journalists about the recent overwhelming UN approval of a
resolution demanding the end of the US blockade.

After giving details on international laws violated by the blockade,
the Cuban ambassador cited official US documents which recognize the
genocidal nature of the policy, as it was established to make the
Cuban people yield through hunger.

He said they have failed in this objective because of the people's
majority support to the Cuban Revolution, which has maintained
national unity.

He also said that the blockade has caused losses worth $236 billion
and called on the audience to reflect on what Cuba would have been
able to do with those resources.

The most important achievement in the half a century of Revolution
has been regaining the people and the nation's dignity, along with
significant social gains, mainly in health and education.

Questioned about changes in Cuba, he explained that the Island has
been changing for 50 years and the Revolution is not a finished
process, but rather a human work that is not free of mistakes and is
in a constant process of improvement.

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Honduras Zelaya Restitution a Must, Says Resistance

Tegucigalpa, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) The National Front against the
Coup in Honduras warned on Tuesday that President Manuel Zelaya's
restitution must be materialized this week to avoid deepening crisis.
The organization, grouping union members, farmers, indigenous people,
women, progressive politicians and other sectors, will maintain their
permanent sit-ins outside the National Congress to demand the
approval of Zelaya's return to power. Cuerpo : The agreements signed
on October 30 between the constitutional government and the de facto
regime leave in Congressional hands the faculty to re-establish
executive power existing before the coup of June 28.

However, popular leaders have expressed their concern that some
political sectors and allies of the dictatorship are trying to ignore
the spirit of what was agreed through delaying tactics or refusing to
comply with essential points.

"This is very dangerous because we are less than one month before
elections," warned general coordinator of the Front Juan Barahona.

The organization reiterated its decision of not recognizing the
elections of November 29 unless institutional order is restored.

According to schedule, today the committee to verify the
implementation of the agreements is expected to be installed and the
formation of a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation is
expected for Thursday.

"The crisis triggered by the coup will be over when what was agreed
is accomplished," said Carlos Eduardo Reina, one of the leaders of
the resistance movement that has been protesting for 129 days now,
demanding a return to institutionality.

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US, CANADA, EUROPE

WHO Mission Visits Ukraine

Kiev, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) A mission of the World Health
Organization is visiting the capital of Ukraine Tuesday, as a state
of emergency has been declared in nine local regions in this European
country after the death of 71 people in the last few days. Cuerpo :
The WHO mission is made up of nine specialists in viruses and
epidemiology from Denmark, Russia, Sweden, UK and Germany, all of
them inivited by the Ukrainian government.

According to Yukka Pukkila, head of the WHO mission, the task
consists on knowing why the flu epidemic has affected so many people
in Ukraine, as well as the causes and transmission speed.

The WHO mission should analyze the complications related with the A
(H1N1) virus in Ukraine, where the foreign specialists are already
working with local experts.

At least 225,516 cases of A (H1N1) add up to those of the seasonal
flu virus, which affects very much thousands of people in this
country every year, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia
Timoshenko.

The Ukrainian Parliament (RADA) approved an assigment of one billion
hryvnias (121.5 million dollars) to fight the virus.

Timoshenko ordered to allocate state reserves of raw material to make
10 million meters of antiseptic cloth for sanitary muzzles, which are
absent from local pharmacies.

Ukrainian Deputy Public Health Minister Vasily Lazorishinets
expressed his hope that with the help of the specialists the level of
the epidemic can be reduced.

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AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Africa: New Vaccine against Malaria

Nairobi, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) Kenyan children inoculated with a new
preventive vaccine being tested against malaria, which is thought to
be effective in 50 percent of the cases, say reports circulated in
this capital. Cuerpo : This took place in an International Conference
about malaria in Africa, which is taking place in this city with the
attendance of many countries.

The product, made by British Labs GlaxoSmithKline, committed in
advance to guarantee reasonable prices to the continent. If the test
results satisfactory at the final stage of the clinical trial, the
product will be ready to use in three or four years.

Among the main segment affected by malaria are kids, and more than
the 40 percent people of the poorest countries in the planet are in
risk of catching malaria.

This vaccine has been made only for Africa, because they use the
regional specific stump of the illness, which is present with some
different variants in the Middle East, Asia, Central, and South
America.

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