Vol. 71/No. 44      November 26, 2007

“This is an important moment in our case and we are certain that we always can count on you,” wrote Ramón Labañino, one of the Cuban Five, as they are known, in a message he sent to the conference. “This is a political case and it can only be won through international solidarity.”

The five Cubans—Gerardo Hernández, René González, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, and Fernando González—have been locked up since their arrest in 1998. They were convicted in a 2001 federal trial in Miami for “conspiracy to commit espionage” and other frame-up charges, and are serving sentences ranging from 15 years to a double life term.

The five were in the United States to gather information on Cuban counterrevolutionary groups that have organized attacks against Cuba from south Florida with the complicity of the U.S. government. Such terror attacks included a string of bombings of hotels in 1997, one of which killed an Italian tourist.

Conference participants discussed the recent success of a month-long series of events in North America, part of an international campaign in defense of the Cuban Five, which demonstrated greater openings today than ever before to broaden this campaign.

Those at the gathering decided to step up the campaign to demand that Washington grant visas for Adriana Pérez and Olga Salanueva to visit their husbands—Gerardo Hernández and René González, respectively—who for nine years have been prevented from seeing their loved ones.

They projected continuing to campaign for CIA-trained murderer Luis Posada Carriles—who today walks free on U.S. streets—to be extradited to Venezuela to stand trial for his violent attacks against Cuba over nearly five decades.

The conference also decided on organizing a “Week of Free the Five” actions as soon as a federal appellate court in Atlanta rules on an appeal filed August 20 by the attorneys of the Cuban Five.

The two-day meeting was preceded by a press conference at City Hall, addressed by Elizabeth Palmeiro, the wife of Labañino, and representatives of the three sponsoring organizations. Palmeiro was interviewed afterward for “As It Happens,” a popular radio program.  
 
Numerous successful events
At the opening session, participants reported on many recent events on behalf of the Cuban Five. Bill Sloan, an attorney from Montreal who defends refugees and immigrants, reported that a picket line is held in front of the U.S. consulate there every second Thursday.

Two participants from Washington, D.C., Banbose Shango, from the newly formed D.C. Metro Committee to Free the Cuban Five, and Sam Manuel, from the Socialist Workers Party, reported on successful activities organized in the U.S. capital, including a September 12 meeting of 175 at the Howard University Law School.

Sobukwe Shukura and Jacob Perasso reported on a broadly sponsored meeting in Atlanta on October 2. The event focused on Cuba’s role in defeating invasions of Angola by the apartheid regime in South Africa in the 1970s and ‘80s. Three of the Cuban Five served as volunteer combatants in that war.

Another report highlighted an October 11 meeting in Calgary marking the 40th anniversary of the death in combat of Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto Che Guevara that also featured the defense of the Cuban Five.

Later in the conference, Ike Nahem from Cuba Solidarity New York announced plans for an East Coast Free the Cuban Five conference to take place in New York April 4-5.

Palmeiro and Leonard Weinglass, an attorney for the five Cubans, were featured speakers at a public rally held in Toronto’s city hall as part of the conference.

“My husband is in prison,” Palmeiro said, “because he refused to betray his country, his brothers in prison, or his principles. The Five represent the best of Cuban society and our revolution.”

Weinglass reviewed the facts surrounding the conviction of the five and stressed the stakes in waging a public campaign in the months ahead as the defense awaits a decision on its appeal. Ernesto Sentí, Cuba’s ambassador to Canada, also addressed the rally, among others.

Many at the conference were longtime activists in the defense of the Cuban Revolution, but others were attending such an event for the first time.

Rachel Cooper and Ian Jones came from Ladysmith on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. They said they plan to write articles for the local media and build support for the Cuban Five at Malaspina College where Cooper teaches.

Sofia Shank, 20, a student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, told the Militant she was “glad to plug myself in to this longterm fight.”

Ernie Mailhot contributed to this article.  
 
 
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