LETTER N° 17

From 23 to 29 April

23

Cuba

Municipal elections. A record 98.06 voter turnout for local elections over the weekend that were hailed by the ruling Communist Party as a patriotic exercise to rebuff foreign criticism of the island's political system. Final results from the National Election Commission (CEN) showed that 7,913,112 people cast votes in Sunday's municipal assembly elections out of an eligible total of 8,069,804. The Caribbean island's total population is 11 million. 13,853 municipal delegates were elected to sit on local assemblies in Cuba's "People's Power" system. A further 833 assembly posts went to a second round runoff as there was no outright winner of more than 50 percent of the votes cast, the CEN said.

25

Bolivia

In a cabinet reshuffle, Gen. Óscar Vargas Lorenzetti is named defense minister and Guillermo Fortun interior minister.

26

Italy

The new cabinet of prime Minister Amato is sworn in. It includes Enzo Bianco as interior minister and Ottaviano Del Turco as finance minister. Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini, etc….

28

Spain

The new cabinet is sworn in. Josep Piqué i Camps becomes foreign minister, Federico Trillo-Figueroa y Martínez Conde defense minister, and Cristóbal Montoro finance minister. Jaime Mayor Oreja continues as interior minister.

29

Thailand

Senate elections rerun in 35 provinces.

29

Vietnam

Former prime minister of North Vietnam (1955-76) and Vietnam (1976-87) Pham Van Dong dies.