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U.S.
religious leader visits
ELAM
Aliana Nieves Quesada
MICHAEL
Kinnamon, general
secretary of the U.S.
National Council of
Churches, toured this
Tuesday the Latin
American School of
Medicine (ELAM) as part
of visit to Cuba during
which, as he stated, he
hopes to contribute to
improving relations
between the two
countries.
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Kinnamon
conversing
with U.S.
students.
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The
Reverend, who was
accompanied by a
delegation of leaders
from the Methodist,
Orthodox, Protestant and
Presbyterian churches,
affirmed that these
institutions support
relations with Havana.
He
commented that as it is
an election year in the
United States, it is a
difficult time to change
things, but that the
delegation is working
thinking of the future
and believes that every
moment is opportune for
rapprochement.
Kinnamon
regretted the damages to
the Cuban health sector
caused by the U.S.
economic blockade and
expressed his thanks for
the attention given by
ELAM to the 119 students
from his country on
scholarships there.
The
religious leader
referred to the issue of
the Cuban Five as "a
major issue in itself.
... We also are very
concerned about that."
He emphasized that
various U.S.
organizations oppose the
lengthy sentences handed
down to the five
anti-terrorist Cubans
incarcerated in U.S.
jails.
ELAM
Rector Juan Carrizo
Estévez gave the
visitors historical
details about the
medical faculty, which
is currently training
students from 93
countries and from which
more than 10,000 doctors
have graduated.
The
members of the religious
delegation, who arrived
in Cuba November 28,
have met with National
Assembly President
Ricardo Alarcón, member
of the Political Bureau
of the Communist Party
of Cuba, and with
Caridad Diego, director
of the Religious Affairs
Office of the Central
Committee of the Party.
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