Vol. 79/No. 3 February 2, 2015
On Dec. 17, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero were freed, joining René González and Fernando González in Cuba — ending 16 years of imprisonment of the Cuban Five on frame-up charges in the U.S.
Below, the Militant reprints three sections of Absolved by Solidarity: 16 Watercolors for 16 Years of Unjust Imprisonment of the Cuban Five, just published by Pathfinder Press. Absolved by Solidarity contains 16 new paintings by Guerrero that focus on the story of the frame-up of the Five and their trial and conviction by the U.S. government. Commenting on his watercolor “The Sentences,” Guerrero says, “Those harsh and unjust sentences had only one purpose: punishing Cuba.”
The book, which also includes a statement by the Five, letters and documents, highlights the firmness, dignity, courage and discipline of the Five that was key to winning their freedom and showing the world what it means to be a revolutionary and to be a communist.
The Five have made themselves available for new assignments in the fight to defend Cuba’s socialist revolution.
‘Today we address the American people directly’
On June 20, 2001, as the Cuban Five awaited sentencing in Miami, they for the first time addressed the American people, denouncing the frame-up. Their statement was published in the Cuban daily Granma. In retaliation, U.S. authorities once again stripped them of all personal belongings and returned them to the “hole,”— where they had spent the first 17 months of their imprisonment — for another 48 days. The following are major excerpts.We are five loyal Cubans who for thirty-three months and five days have endured harsh imprisonment in a country whose authorities are hostile to our nation. We were subjected to a long, scandalous trial marked by transparently political objectives, methods, and procedures, as well as a veritable deluge of malicious and fraudulent propaganda. Today we address the American people directly, to let them know we are the victims of a terrible injustice.
We were accused of endangering the security of the United States and indicted on numerous charges, including conspiracy to commit murder — charges that could not and cannot be proven since they are unquestionably false. We face prison sentences of dozens of years, possibly even life sentences.
A jury selected in Miami — and that says it all — found us guilty of all charges. We are Cuban patriots and never had the least intention of harming the values or integrity of the American people.
Our small heroic country has survived four decades of aggression, threats to our national security, subversive operations, sabotage, and destabilization. It has every right to defend itself from enemies who use US territory to plan, organize, and finance terrorist actions, and who break your own laws in the process. …
We have never done anything for money. We have always lived modestly, in line with the sacrifices our own people are making.
We have been motivated by a strong sense of human solidarity, of love for our homeland, and contempt for everything that abuses the dignity of human beings.
The defendants in this case do not in any way regret what we have done to defend our country. We declare ourselves not guilty. We take comfort in having fulfilled our duty to our people and our homeland. Our families understand the depth of the values that guide us. They will be proud of our commitment to humanity in the struggle against terrorism and for the independence of Cuba.
René González, Antonio Guerrero,
Fernando González,
Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino
‘Never forget, we don’t betray our country’
RAMÓN LABAÑINOThese small gestures made us proud. They gave us strength and joy in the midst of what we were going through.
I remember one Cuban in particular, a somewhat older man, who recognized us when our paths crossed and with whom we exchanged a few words from a distance. (He was going in the opposite direction and, like us, his hands and feet were bound.) In essence he extended his support, telling us to stay strong — “fuerte ahí” as we Cubans say — that Fidel wouldn’t abandon us. As he was being hurried along, surrounded by prison guards, he shouted, “And never forget, we don’t betray our country.”
The encounter, especially that phrase, left a deep impression on us, given the circumstances, the people, and the place — above all because those are the words we carry in our hearts every day of our lives.
As he was moved away, we could only shout our thanks to him from afar.
FCI Ashland, Kentucky
November 6, 2014
‘I have nothing to regret’
GERARDO HERNÁNDEZSAUL LANDAU: Did you talk to the prosecutors?
GERARDO HERNÁNDEZ: No. Everything was done through our lawyers. When I first talked with the lawyer, he raised the possibility of cooperating with the investigation, cooperating with the government. I don’t know if he was presenting the prosecutor’s idea or not. I told him that if he wanted to continue being my attorney, we should not discuss that question ever again. And he never talked to me about it again. Although later there were the so-called plea agreements that were offered to get us to plead guilty and cooperate. We rejected them all. But we never had direct contact with the prosecution.
LANDAU: Did it ever occur to you to become a traitor to escape the nightmare you’ve described?
HERNÁNDEZ: Look, we’ve been in prison more than ten years. Some people who know about this case say to me, “Cuba must have paid you a ton of money to do this!” I always laugh and say, “If I’d done what I did for money, I wouldn’t be here.” Because when you work for money, you go with the highest bidder. And Cuba could never possibly pay what this country can. If I had accepted their offer, I would have saved myself ten years behind bars without seeing my wife. A lot of people don’t understand this — they’ve been brought up to think money is everything in life.
No, betraying never crossed my mind. It’s so obvious that it’s difficult for me to explain. Not only would it mean betraying myself as a person, as a revolutionary, but betraying an entire country, including my family. It would mean betraying all the Cubans who in the course of a hundred some years of revolution, since the first independence war in 1868, have given their lives so Cuba could be free, independent, and sovereign.
From the very start I had no doubt. What I was doing was not wrong. I’m sorry I had to break some laws, but it was absolutely necessary for a greater good. I have nothing to regret.
Related articles:
Washington relaxes restrictions on some trade, travel to Cuba
Full-color supplement promotes book that portrays 16-year struggle
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