fyi, during the US Conference of Mayors (USCM) held in Madison, Mayor
Bauman introduced a resolution urging the establishment of normal
diplomatic and economic relations between the US and Cuba.  In response,
the Honorable Manuel Diaz, Mayor of Miami, introduced a resolution which
in part calls for the US to take all the necessary steps by recognizing
and assisting the 11,000 Cuban citizens seeking a referendum to "permit
true democracy".  Both resolutions have been referred to a committee
which is expected to submit a recommendation for action at the 2003 USCM
in Denver, Colorado.

According to the following article, over seven million Cuban eligible
voters have signed a petition in support of a constitutional amendment
that would affirm Cuba's socialist and democratic system.  (Cuba's total
population is about eleven million.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
June 17, 2002

To date, more than seven million Cubans have signed the constitutional
modification bill

BY REYNOLD RASSI (Granma daily staff writer)

BY midday on Sunday, June 16, 7,412,791 Cubans had put their names to
the constitutional modification bill proposed by the leaders of the
island's mass organizations, thus demonstrating the people's solid
support for the nation's socialist and democratic system and a
'YES' for their homeland, the Revolution and socialism.

GALLERY

In yesterday's televised roundtable program which discussed the
progress of this process throughout the country, Pedro Ross Leal,
president of the national organizing committee and general secretary of
the Central Organization of Cuban Trade Unions (CTC), gave that total of
signatures in support of the document, according to figures from the
island's provinces released at 4.00 p.m. that afternoon.

He explained that signatures were tallied from 10.00 a.m. on Saturday
when the process began, to 12.00 p.m. on Sunday, collected from 129,523
locations provided for all Cubans over the age of 16 with the right to
vote. These points reopened today, Monday, at 7.00 a.m. and are open
until 10.00 p.m.; on Tuesday people who have still not signed can do so
from 7.00 a.m. until 12 noon.

Ross reported that by 10.00 p.m. on Saturday, the first day of signing,
6,866,024 people had affirmed their support. He added that by Sunday
evening, more than 426,000 signatures per hour had been recorded
island-wide.

He also highlighted the level of organization, rigor, seriousness and
transparency and how signatures had been collected from Cubans with
differing ideas and beliefs, but with one thing in common: the defense
of their homeland. The CTC leader also noted how 208 foreigners resident
in Cuba, tourists and Cubans living in other countries had expressed a
wish to sign the document and had written letters to that effect. This
was also the case with Cubans serving prison terms or remanded for
traffic accidents who consider themselves revolutionaries. Ross stated
that although, legally speaking, those people cannot sign the document,
they should put their requests in writing and the National Assembly will
decide later whether to include their support, which nonetheless has
been noted.

In relation to that aspect, Randy Alonso, program moderator, stated
that over 10,000 Cubans with the right to vote are currently working
abroad and that facilities have been provided for them at Cuban
diplomatic venues in the various countries so that they can also
exercise their right to support the document.

Leaders of the mass organizations taking part in the program referred
to the participation in the process of CDR members, pioneers, students,
campesinos, combatants, women and the population in general; as well as
the reasons behind this mass support for socialism and the Revolution.
Speakers on that aspect included Juan Contino Aslam, national
coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution
(CDR's); Mirian Yanet, president of the José Martí Young Pioneers
Organization (OPJM); Orlando Lugo Fonte, president of the National
Association of Small Farmers (ANAP); Claudia Felipe Torres, president of
the Federation of Students in Intermediate Education (FEEM); Harry
Villegas, from the National Association of Combatants; Nieves Alemañy
from the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC); and Hassán Pérez, president of
the Federation of University Students (FEU).

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