CUBA NEWS
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U.S. Grants 20,000th Cuban Immigrant
Visa
By Vanessa Arrington, Associated
Press Writer
HAVANA, 22 (AP) - America's top diplomat
to Cuba said on Wednesday the United States
has fulfilled its commitment this year to
grant permanent immigration visas to at
least 20,000 Cubans, and it was now Cuba's
turn to honor its obligations under migration
accords.
"We've done our part," said
James Cason, chief of the U.S. Interests
Section in Havana.
The migration accords were established
in the mid-1990s to promote legal, orderly
migration between the two countries. Under
the agreement, the United States must provide
at least 20,000 visas to Cubans annually,
and Cuba is to discourage its citizens from
making risky attempts to immigrate illegally
to the United States.
Cason complained that a lack of access
by the American mission to the government-controlled
Cuban press keeps people uninformed about
safe ways to migrate. He called Cuban claims
that the United States wants to provoke
a mass migration crisis "totally false."
The United States will continue granting
visas to as many other Cubans as possible
this year in order to provide a safe, legal
way off the island, he said.
"We want to publicize this, to let
them know we're here, and that you don't
have to go by sea," Cason said.
Thousands each year leave communist Cuba
by small boat, raft and even car tire, in
hopes of reaching the United States. It
is not clear how many of them die during
the journey, though Cason said less than
a thousand a year make it to U.S. shores.
Under the U.S. wet-foot, dry-foot policy,
Cubans intercepted at sea are typically
returned, while those who reach land are
usually allowed to stay.
Cason said Cuban authorities should allow
American diplomats to visit repatriated
migrants in the countryside to monitor whether
they are being penalized, as well as accept
the return of all Cuban nationals the United
States wants to deport.
He called on Cuba to grant the United States
the use of a deeper port in Cuba for repatriations,
which would allow the U.S. Coast Guard (news
- web sites) to use its larger vessels to
return migrants, freeing up smaller ones
for patrols.
The U.S. Interest Section issued its 20,000th
immigration visa on July 16. This year,
in a fiscal period ending Sept. 30, it hopes
to surpass the 21,075 visas granted through
the end of September last year.
Some 250,000 Cubans have moved to the United
States under the migration accords, Cason
said.
Cubans "have no hope," he said.
"They don't believe in the revolution.
They have a failing economic system. They
have no political freedoms. They want to
leave."
The United States suspended formal U.S.-Cuba
migration talks in January, saying Cuba
refused to discuss key issues.
Ailing Maradona at odds with ex-wife
over Cuba return
BUENOS AIRES, 20 (AFP) - Maradona is engaged
in a battle with his ex-wife and daughters
over where the ailing Argentine football
legend should go next to treat his cocaine
addiction.
Maradona is due to leave a psychiatric
clinic where he has been receiving treatment
since May in the next few weeks - from there
he wants to return to the drugs rehabilitation
centre in Cuba where he has lived since
2000, and after that Switzerland.
He is supported by his doctor, Alfredo
Cahe, and lawyers - Oscar Moyano and Roberto
Damboriana.
But a close family friend who wished to
remain unnamed told AFP Tuesday that his
former wife Claudia Villafane and his daughters
Dalma and Giannina are trying hard to keep
him in Argentina.
They want Maradona to return to the country
estate of a friend where he was taken in
between hospital visits in April.
They plan to equip the house to deal with
the stricken World Cup winner's medical
needs and in this they are supported by
a team of psychiatrists and government agencies.
If no common ground is found a local court
has authority to rule on Maradona' next
step.
The 43-year-old Maradona came close to
death in April when he was admitted to hospital
here with heart and lung problems.
MADRE CUBA
Eddie Cockrell. Variety,
July 19, 2004.
Cuba completists rep the main audience
for "Madre Cuba," a glacially
paced "documentary" in which a
silent femme photographer spends 24 hours
walking around contempo Havana before jumping
off a cliff. Despite being scripted like
a feature, pic has a docu feel and was actually
programmed in the nonfiction competish section
at the Karlovy Vary fest; subsequent opportunities
are limited to niche ancillary.
Appearing to be around 30, protag is slow
to rise in the morning as she prepares a
real-time breakfast. Sequence sets the tempo
for the remainder of the "action,"
as she brushes her teeth, hangs her laundry,
waits for a bus and walks in the country
before throwing herself into the sea. Unlike
Chantal Akerman's similarly conceived landmark
1976 work "Jeanne Dielman," the
proceedings prompt more apathy than tension.
Writer-director Salomon Shang succeeds in
illuminating the wretched living conditions
along her route, though auds will need the
press kit to learn the woman is depressed
over a mysterious separation from her son
(later, a child's photo is superimposed
over her floating body). Tech credits are
capable, with the mournful, apprehensive
score a plus.
(SPAIN)
A Kaplan presentation and production, in
association with Catalan TV, ICIC. (International
sales: Indisa, Barcelona.) Produced by Josep
L. Garcia, Alberto del Val.
Directed, written by Salomon Shang. Camera
(color), Santiago Yanes; editor, Patricia
Roda; music, Markland's Tune. Reviewed at
Karlovy Vary Film Festival (documentary
competition), July 8, 2004. Running time:
98 MIN.
With: Cirenaica Moreira.
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