Vol. 76/No. 4      January 30, 2012

Guerrero is one of five Cuban revolutionaries arrested in 1998 by the FBI and convicted in 2001 on trumped-up charges, including “conspiracy to commit espionage.” The Cuban Five, as they are known, also include Gerardo Hernández, René González, Ramón Labañino and Fernando González.

They were carrying out assignments from the Cuban government to monitor the activities of Florida-based counterrevolutionary groups with a long history of deadly assaults against Cuba and supporters of the Cuban Revolution. Armed counterrevolutionary Cuban exile groups have been backed, openly or tacitly, by Washington since Cuban toilers wrested power from the U.S.-backed dictatorship five decades ago.

Prison sentences meted out to the revolutionaries ranged from 15 years in jail for René González to double life plus 15 years for Hernández.

Guerrero is serving 21 years and 10 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. René González was released from prison Oct. 7, but has been prevented from returning to Cuba while he serves a three-year sentence of supervised release.

Guerrero’s exhibit has helped introduce thousands of people to the case of the Cuban Five and the international campaign for their freedom.

More than 100 visitors were welcomed by John Martinez, chair of the Human and Civil Rights Committee of the American Federation of Teachers Local 1789, which represents the community college faculty in Seattle. Local 1789 co-sponsored the exhibit along with the art gallery and organized the opening reception.

Speakers included Paul Killpatrick, president of the college; Lynne Dodson, Secretary-Treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Karen Strickland, president of AFT Local 1789; Cindy Domingo, co-director of US Women and Cuba Collaboration; Rodolfo Franco, president of Washington Federation of State Employees, Local 304; Judy Zeh, chairperson of the Seattle-Cuba Friendshipment Committee; Jane Cutter of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five; and Betty Luke of the Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Project.

They condemned the frame-up and treatment of the five, talked about Guerrero’s art and encouraged attendees to support the campaign. Many signed a petition to President Barack Obama demanding release of the Five.

“This was my first time hearing about the Cuban Five,” production worker Mike Grady told the Militant. “I think the exhibit is informative and inspiring. It shows you the injustice that exists and also what can be done about it. I really like his artwork, too.”

Before the program, gallery director Ken Matsudaira, who organized and hung the exhibit, worked with student volunteers to greet visitors and serve refreshments. Most participants slowly moved around the gallery studying Guerrero’s paintings, drawings and poetry and reading biographies of the five.

Los Flacos, Seattle-based musicians who play Latin and Caribbean music, performed.

“From My Altitude” will be on exhibit through Feb. 10. Gallery hours are Mon.-Fri., 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Tues.-Wed., 5-7 p.m.. For more information, call (206) 934-4379 or visit seattlecentral.edu/artgallery.

A gallery showing of cartoons by Hernández, who was convicted of “conspiracy to commit murder,” is simultaneously taking place through Feb. 11 in Minneapolis. For more information call (612) 367-6134.
 
 
Related articles:
‘Making a revolution within the revolution’
From Santiago de Cuba and Rebel Army to birth of Federation of Cuban Women  
 
 
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