HAVANA (Reuters) -- Cuba's state-controlled media continued on Sunday
                  to vilify four leading dissidents, who have been tried on sedition and are
                  awaiting sentencing, as political puppets manipulated by the United States.

                  The Communist Youth Weekly Juventud Rebelde published a front-page
                  cartoon showing an Uncle Sam figure, representing the U.S. government,
                  conducting a choir of four worm-like creatures. "Worm" is the dismissive
                  term frequently used by the Cuban authorities to designate anti-government
                  opponents.

                  Sunday's caricature followed the airing of TV propaganda on Saturday night
                  that denounced the dissidents -- Vladimiro Roca, Marta Beatriz Roque,
                  Felix Bonne and Rene Gomez Manzano -- as "Puppets of Imperialism."
                  Roca is an ex-fighter pilot and the son of Cuban Communist Party founder
                  Blas Roca.

                  As in previous official attacks on the four dissidents, who were tried on
                  sedition charges in a one-day closed-door court appearance last Monday,
                  the cartoon and TV broadcast concentrated on presenting them as
                  exclusively supported by the United States.

                  The TV spot combined foreign film footage of the four giving news
                  conferences to journalists and Cuban security surveillance of U.S. diplomats,
                  including the chief U.S. diplomat in Havana Michael Kozak, visiting Roca's
                  house.

                  U.S. diplomats in Havana, who along with other diplomats and foreign
                  journalists were barred from the dissidents' trial, deny giving material
                  assistance to the four. However, the diplomats say Washington supported
                  their efforts to win greater political freedom.

                  The Juventud Rebelde cartoon announced the reprinting in the Sunday
                  newspaper of a three-page editorial which first appeared in the Communist
                  Party daily Granma on Thursday.

                  The editorial condemned the so-called "Group of Four" dissidents as
                  "traitors" and "mercenaries" backed and financed by the United States. They
                  strongly deny this.

                  Since the editorial, the four dissidents have been the targets of an unrelenting
                  public campaign of condemnation launched by authorities through state
                  media.

                  Their families and some foreign observers fear this could mean they face
                  harsh sentences. The state prosecutor has asked for a six-year jail term for
                  Roca and five years each for the other three. The court's decision is due by
                  March 17. They have spent nearly 20 months in custody.

                  The prosecution argued they were guilty of inciting sedition because they
                  urged Cuban voters to boycott one-party elections in 1997 and warned
                  foreign businessmen in Cuba that they could be contributing to the suffering
                  of the Cuban people by investing on the island.

                  The government propaganda offensive appeared to be aimed at countering
                  widespread international criticism of the trial, which was accompanied by the
                  temporary detentions of numerous anti-government activists.

                  Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, who has championed a policy
                  of "constructive engagement" with Cuba in contrast to Washington's strategy
                  of economic and political sanctions, has sent a letter to the Cuban
                  government expressing his country's strong concern at the recent events.
                  Other governments, especially from Europe, have also expressed concern.

                   Copyright 1999 Reuters.