by Paul Haven

Cuba on Monday strongly criticized foreign press coverage of a dissident hunger striker as part of a campaign to discredit the island's political system.

Guillermo Farinas, a freelance opposition journalist, has refused food and water since Feb. 24 to protest the death of another hunger striker and demand the release from jail of some 26 political prisoners said to be in poor health.

"Cuba will not accept pressure or blackmail," proclaimed a red-letter headline in the Communist Party daily Granma, which said, "Important Western media groups are again calling attention to a prefabricated lie."

It was the first time Cuba's state news media had mentioned the hunger strike.

Several foreign media organizations, including The Associated Press, traveled to Farinas' home in the central city of Santa Clara last week to interview him about his protest.

Farinas told AP he was not demanding the overthrow of the government or greater freedom of expression. He said he would give up his fast if the ailing political prisoners are released, but vowed to otherwise continue until his own death.

Farinas passed out last week and relatives took him to a hospital, where doctors administered fluids intravenously. A family spokeswoman said Monday he is extremely weak.

"His eyes are sunken and he is more dehydrated," Licet Zamora told AP by phone.

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