Cuban Bound Pastors for Peace Caravan in Mexico

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The 22nd Pastors for Peace Caravan entered Mexican territory after crossing the Pharr-Reynosa border post, where US customs authorities seized seven computers part of a humanitarian aid delivery for Cuba.

Hector Fraginals, a political adviser at the Cuban embassy, told Prensa Latina that the Caravan members protested against the actions by the US custom agents.

According to Helen Bernstein, acting coordinator of the organization, US authorities confiscated seven computers at the border. For Bernstein, the seizure was nothing new. In 1993, a school bus was held by US customs and released after a 23-day hunger strike by 13 caravan members. In 1996, five people fasted for 93 days for the release of hundreds of computers, and last year five computers donated for Cuban schools were also seized.

Victor Vargas, the Pastors for Peace representative in Mexico, said that the caravan was welcomed by various members of the Mexican Movement of Solidarity with Cuba, among other organizations of support to Cuba, at the Reinosa international bridge, in Tamaulipas.

The more than 100 tons of humanitarian aid for Cuba includes medicines, computers, school materials, portable solar panels, and 14 vehicles.

The caravan is scheduled to arrive in the port city of Tampico, on Thursday, where they will board ships to Cuba with over the humanitarian aid collected in 130 US cities. After crossing the US-Mexico border in Pharr-Reynosa, the group of more than 100 activists reaffirmed its defiance of the US blockade of Cuba, saying "love is our license," in memory of the late Rev. Lucius Walker Jr.

The group, which will visit Cuba from July 22 to 30, plans to meet with students, artists, scientists and farmers, and to attend the graduation ceremony that includes 20 young students from the United States who have been studying at the Latin American School of Medicine – ELAM.

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Cuban Doctors Save 250,000 people in Haiti

Cuban doctors have saved over 250000 Haitians during the twelve years of medical cooperation in Haiti, which was devastated in 2010 by a strong earthquake and after that by the cholera pandemic.

Cuban Health vice Minister Marcias Cobas said that international cooperation with Haiti began in December 1998; it was never suspended despite coups d’état, and was intensified this year after the earthquake and the pandemic outbreak.

Acording to the Cuban Round Table TV Program, Cobas affirmed that Haiti has received, during these years, more than 3500 health cooperants that have performed 16 million consultations.

Cobas added that the health system of Haiti was rebuilt, as part of a Cuban initiative after the earthquake, with the support of nations from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), especially from Venezuela.

She mentioned that under this initiative, in progress when the cholera pandemic started, they have created more than 24 campaign hospitals and 30 rehabilitation centers.

Cobas noted that nowadays, there are more than 1334 Cuban health cooperants and that not even the pandemic has been able to stop the rebuilding process.

Reflections of Fidel

The battle against cholera

Cholera was detected last October 20 in a health facility with Cuban doctors and it spread right away throughout the country causing death to 2707 people. Other 115 cases were reported in the Dominican Republic, Haiti’s closest neighbor, in addition to other three in the United States.

Cuban Health deputy Minister Luis Struch pointed out that after the earthquake Cuba began to monitor the epidemiologic situation of Haiti, which allowed noticing immediately this acute bacteriologic disease of high toxicity.

Struch said that the Cuban strategy against the pandemic in Haiti is to take the health services to every corner of the country.

The Rector of the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) highlighted the presence of tens of young physicians graduated in this school in the cooperation mission in Haiti.
 
Cuban vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Ramon Ripoll noted that the solidarity of other governments with Haiti is channelled through the Cuban medical mission.

He cited the support of Norway, Spain, Australia and Namibia and stated that the distribution and use of the materials are made in conjunction with the Haitian authorities.

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Also See
> Cuban Doctors Lead the Fight Against Cholera in Haiti
> Cuba meets its commitments and Haiti responds
> New Henry Reeve Brigade arrives in Haiti

President of East Timor Visits Cuba

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"I want to thank Fidel, Raúl and the Cuban government and people for their contribution
 in developing sectors such education and healthcare in east Timor"

José Manuel Ramos-Horta

The President of the Democratic Republic of East Timor and Nobel Peace laureate José Manuel Ramos-Horta arrived in Cuba on Thursday to pay an official visit to the island at the invitation of the Cuban government.

Welcoming the visitor at the José Martí International Airport was the Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcos Rodríguez. Following, the distinguished visitor thanked Fidel, Raúl and the Cuban government and people for selflessly helping the Southeast Asian nation boost areas such as healthcare and education.

During his visit, Ramos-Horta will hold official talks with the Cuban President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro. The program of activities also includes a meeting with relatives of the five Cuban antiterrorists being unjustly held in US jails for more than a decade.

Today, the Timorese president will place a wreath at the monument of National Hero José Marti at the Revolution Square, and will tour the memorial devoted to the lifework of the Cuban independence hero. Accompanying him are Timorese Foreign Affairs Minister Zacarías Albano de Costa, Timorese Ambassador to Cuba Egidio de Jesús and other officials.

Cuba and East Timor established diplomatic relations on May 20, 2002, the same day the Asian nation officially declared its independence.

Over the years, Cuban collaborators have fought against illiteracy in that nation, schooling an estimated 46,000 Timorese via the Yo, sí puedo teaching method. In addition, some 600 young people from that nation have graduated from the Havana-based Latin American School of Medicine; and currently, some 219 Cuban doctors are providing free medical assistance in the Asian nation.

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> Fidel meets with President of East Timor