Cuba forcefully denies alleged campaign contribution
Campaign News | Monday, 31 October 2005
Brazilian magazine article is unfounded says government
Brasilia, Oct 29 (Prensa Latina): The government of Cuba has strenuously denied a Veja magazine story that Cuba allegedly contributed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva?s campaign.
In a public statement Sunday, Cuban Ambassador to Brasilia Pedro Nuñez Mosquera fully blamed "aggressive US plans against both Cuba and Lula for this propaganda maneuver."
Follows is a note sent on Saturday to Prensa Latina in its entirety:
Sunday's on-line edition of Veja magazine published a broad, insulting report on Cuba's alleged aid to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's electoral campaign in 2002.
The government of Cuba categorically denies these libels and asserts it has never interfered in this sister nation's internal affairs, and it fully blames aggressive imperialist plans against Cuba and Lula for this propaganda maneuver.
Those who have orchestrated this slanderous campaign against Cuba and against the Brazilian government seek to harm our two countries' bilateral relations, characterized by friendly dialogue, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs.
It is obvious that those who lie so barefacedly are trying to hinder the ever-broadening cooperation between our two countries, mainly they are trying to adversely affect the implementation of Operation Miracle in Brazil that will allow tens of thousands of low-income Brazilians to receive surgery to recover their vision.
What Cuba has offered the government of Brazil and really upsets the enemies of both countries is that we have proposed, in a spirit of solidarity and unselfishness, that no fewer than 100 Brazilian patients undergo free surgery daily, with no transportation, accomodation, or treatment costs either for the government of Brazil or the patients.
Cuba's proposal also includes ophthalmologic scholarships for Brazilian doctors recently graduated from the Latin American Medical School, aid from Cuban specialists if needed, and donation of a state-of-the-art ophthalmology center which will allow Brazil to operate on 100,000 patients a year.
For the Cuban government it is obvious that these evil allegations, in the context of US President George W. Bush's upcoming visit to Brazil, are trying to divert attention from the ever complex reality he is facing, including corruption probes involving important figures of his own party and close associates; the unsustainable and universally rejected US military presence in Iraq, which is responsible for the deaths of more than 2,000 US servicemen; and an ever-decreasing popularity as his performance is rejected by even the most conservative sectors of the Republican Party.
With these base calumnies they also try to divert attention from the increasing Latin American rejection of the current US administration's aggressive, pro-hegemony, pro-interference policies and of the resounding failure of the Free Trade Area of the Americas as a project for regional domination.
The Government of Cuba reiterates its rejection of the slanders published by Veja magazine and confirms its respect and friendship toward the Brazilian people and the government led by President Lula.
http://www.plenglish.com/Article.asp?ID=%7B091607AD-FC7A-4271-9520-1D89F21D7B40%7D&language=EN
