‘5 Days for the Cuban 5’ demands: FREE THEM NOW!

The “5 Days for the Cuban 5 in Washington, D.C.” are over, but its broad and unified call to the Obama administration continues to echo: Open the U.S. prison doors and return Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and Rene González to their Cuban homeland.

Protesters outside White House demand release of Cuban 5. Photo: International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5

Because the U.S. government failed to curb terrorist actions aimed at Cuba, the five Cuban security agents infiltrated the Florida-based paramilitary organizations that bombed Cuban hotels during the 1990s. Unlike other unregistered foreign agents who are expelled or sentenced to short prison terms, a Miami court slammed the Cuban 5 with prison terms exceeding sentencing guidelines. Although eventually reduced, they were still incredibly long prison terms — especially for Hernández, who received two life terms plus 15 years.

The April 17-21 initiative by the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 sparked events in 45 countries. Representatives from Belgium, Germany, Italy and Canada assisted on-the-ground organizing in Washington.

The project followed the Organization of American States summit, which highlighted the waning U.S. influence over Latin America and growing pressure to normalize relations with socialist Cuba. Colombia, the staunchest U.S. ally in the region, announced it would not attend another international meeting if Cuba was excluded. Brazil, with the largest economy in South America, announced the same decision.

In 2011 — for the 20th consecutive time — the United Nations General Assembly, in an overwhelming vote, told the U.S. to end its blockade of Cuba. A major obstacle to improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba is the unjust imprisonment of the five Cuban men, who are rightly regarded as heroes in Cuba and around the world.

Meetings, events demand ‘Free the 5’

For the first time, meetings were requested with U.S. senators and representatives or their staff to discuss the Cuban 5. An original one-day schedule grew to two and a half days of meetings.

Saul Landau’s video “Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up” was screened at the Univeristy of Maryland, College Park and Howard University. At Howard, professor and author Piero Gleijeses discussed Cuba’s role in Angola during the war that defeated apartheid in South Africa. Three of the Cuban 5 were among Cuba’s international combatants.

A panel hosted by Wayne Smith, former chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, discussed Stephen Kimber’s new book, “What Lies Across the Water,” to be published in 2013. Kimber read the entire trial transcript along with researching background to the 1998 arrest of the Cuban 5. The chapter of his book titled “Shootdown” is available on Amazon. Arturo Lopez-Levy, a Jewish Cuban and lecturer at the University of Denver, commented on Kimber’s book and U.S.-Cuba relations.

Takoma Park, Md., a community adjacent to Washington, inaugurated a new committee to free the Cuban 5. Chilean singer Ismael Duran drove from Detroit to perform there.

A crowd packed the Festival Center on April 20 for a public meeting featuring Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farmworkers Union, and noted actor and activist Danny Glover. The panelists addressed the case of the Cuban 5, as well as the many additional obstacles blocking normalized U.S.-Cuba relations.

Univision’s 11 p.m. lead story that night was about the event, which helped to chip away at the corporate-owned media’s boycott of coverage. WEACT radio broadcast the program live. Telesur, RT and AP-TV also covered the event. Both this event and the closing one were streamed live, and can be viewed at justin.tv/cubaenwashington/videos.

Picketing the White House

Several hundred picketers filled the sidewalk at the White House on April 21, demanding the immediate release of the Cuban 5, followed by a rally on Pennsylvania Avenue. Participants from New York City came in four buses and marched to the picket line chanting. They included members of Casa de Las Americas; American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Local 372; Cuba Solidarity NY; the International Action Center; and Iranian, Puerto Rican and many more activists in support of Cuba.

The rally, chaired by Alicia Jrapko from the International Committee, heard speakers from the IAC, Answer Coalition and the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, as well as Dick Gregory, Bob Brown, Salim Lamrani, Cindy Sheehan and many more. The protest only ended in time so activists could travel to the “5 Days” closing program.

A meeting of religious leaders earlier on April 21, with Rev. Dora Arce-Valentin of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba, planned projects to expand the work begun by the National Council of the Churches of Christ (U.S.A.) with the Council of Churches of Cuba and by the recent visit of Pope Benedict to Cuba.

The closing cultural event at the Bolivarian Salon at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela featured peace and justice activist Cindy Sheehan. Tears flowed during the children’s performance of Obi Egbuna Jr.’s play, “Cuba’s Greatest Weapon: A Tribute to Cuban Doctors.” The cultural event was closed by Canadian artistic director Brian Gordan, who performed his one-man show, “Hemingway’s HOT Havana on Stage!”

To see photos of the events and activists, visit theCuban5.org or “like” the Facebook page “Five days for the Cuban 5.”

Editor’s note: LaBash, along with International Committee organizer Nancy Kohn, worked on the events in Washington, D.C., including publicity and outreach, from April 1 through the completion of the “5 Days for the Cuban 5” on April 21.