Vol. 76/No. 25      June 25, 2012

The Greek-language book was published as a contribution to the international fight to free Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González and René González, who were framed up by the U.S. government for their work in defense of the Cuban Revolution.

The event was organized by the embassy, the José Martí Cultural Association, and Diethnes Vima, the book’s publisher.

“This book reflects the stature of these men who have resisted for nearly 14 years,” said Eliselia Diaz Suárez, chargée d’affaires of the Cuban Embassy, who opened the meeting.

The Cuban Five, as they are known internationally, were arrested by the FBI in September 1998 in Miami and railroaded to prison by the U.S. government on trumped-up charges that included conspiracy to commit espionage.

The five had been carrying out assignments from the Cuban government to monitor armed counterrevolutionary groups that were conducting dangerous provocations against Cuba and have a long record of murderous attacks and acts of sabotage directed against the Cuban Revolution and its supporters.

Much of the material in the new book is based on articles from the Militant included in The Cuban Five: Who They Are, Why They Were Framed, Why They Should Be Free, published last year by Pathfinder Press.

The book also contains prison letters and poems by the Cuban Five, drawn in large part from El dulce abismo, cartas de amor y esperanza de cinco familias cubanas (The sweet abyss, letters of love and hope from five Cuban families), published by Editorial José Martí, Havana, in 2004.

Publication of the book “becomes even more significant in moments as difficult as those the Greek people are living through today,” said Diaz Suárez.

Natasha Terlexis, president of Diethnes Vima, returned to that theme in her presentation. The book, “product of a joint effort between the José Martí Cultural Association and Diethnes Vima,” she said, “provides a tool in the Greek language to make the case known among those involved in working-class resistance to the capitalist crisis we are living through,” she said.

Terlexis pointed to the example of the 400 steelworkers on strike for more than six months at Elliniki Halivourgia. They were presented with a copy of the new book on the picket line June 1. “The union president and all those at the picket line signed a statement demanding freedom for the five,” she said.

“To understand this case, we have to understand that these five fighters are the product of the five decades of the socialist revolution in Cuba,” said Nikos Karandreas, president of the Greek-Cuban Friendship Association and author of the book’s introduction. That revolution is an example to the peoples of the world “that there is another road for toilers besides capitalism,” he added, and “that is what’s behind Washington’s hostility.”

Several poems from the book were read, accompanied by music from guitarist Manolis Androulidakis.

The event was closed by Denis Lázaro Sáez, a member of the José Martí Cultural Association, who read an open letter to the five that will accompany copies of the book to be sent to each of them.

A total of 10 copies of the new book were sold at the event. One participant took another 10 to sell to members of an amateur soccer club, who donated their club’s banner to be sent to the five.  
 
 
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