Int’l campaign demands family visits for Cuban Five

More than 10 years ago, the U.S. government jailed five Cubans after one of the most unjust and ludicrous trials that has ever occurred in this country.

Many people, especially people of color, are behind jail doors unfairly in this country. Many of them are innocent or never had a fair day in court, to say the least.

But the case of the Cuban Five — like that of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier and the Puerto Rican political prisoners — stands out as one of the most insidious acts of injustice ever perpetrated by U.S. imperialism.

The Cuban government was forced to send Cubans to Florida to monitor the actions of the far-right-wing Cubans who have carried out a U.S.-promoted, nonstop war of aggression against Cuba for more than 50 years. This war includes violent acts of terror, such as the bombing of tourist sites and assassination attempts, all with the knowledge and complicity of the U.S.

The Cuban government informed the U.S. government of the presence of the Cuban Five in the U.S. It even gave the U.S. government some of the dangerous information the Five had gathered. But instead of working with Cuba to prevent acts of terror against the island nation, the U.S. arrested the Five.

A sham of a trial occurred in a city where not even the Latin Grammys could take place if Cubans from Cuba were performing. How could a fair trial occur in such a partisan and venomous city?

It could not. The Cuban Five have been in federal prison since 1998. They must be freed.

A national and international campaign to free them continues. Today that campaign is specifically addressing the issue of family visits for the Five.

The International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five, as part of its International Campaign for the Right of Family Visits, announced last week that key voices from Argentina have joined the demand for humanitarian visas for Olga Salanueva and Adriana Pérez, the spouses of Cuban Five members René González and Gerardo Hernández, respectively.

The announcement states, “Argentinean personalities have sent a letter to Hillary Clinton and Janet Napolitano demanding visas for two Cuban women so they can visit their husbands imprisoned in the United States for more than 11 years.”

The letter, which was delivered Feb. 16 to the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, is signed by Nobel Peace recipient Adolfo Pérez Esquivel; Estela de Carlotto, president of Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo; Nora Cortiñas, Mother of Plaza de Mayo — Founder Line; writer and journalist Stella Calloni; Graciela Rosemblum, president of the Human Rights Argentinean League; jurists Beinusz Szmukler and Carlos Zamorano; Fray Antonio Puigjané; Capuchino Priest; sociologist Atilio Borón; and philosopher León Rozichtner.

“The signers denounced the United States for violating the right of family visits and for denying visas to the wives of Gerardo Hernández, serving two life sentences, and René González, serving 15 years.

“In the letter, which can be seen on several websites, signers asked: ‘Where is justice and the sense of humanity in the U.S.?’”

For a full list of the letter’s signers, or to find out more about the Five, visit www.thecuban5.org or e-mail [email protected].

The  International  Committee  is  urging everyone to send letters, faxes, e-mails

or make a phone call to contacts listed below. Ask them to do the following:

1) Immediately grant a humanitarian visa to Adriana Pérez to visit her husband, Gerardo Hernández, in prison and end the violation of the right of family visits.

2) Grant multiple visas to all family members of the Cuban Five so they can visit their imprisoned loved ones in the U.S.

U.S. State Department
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: 02-647-2283
Phone: 202-647-4000

Janet Napolitano
U.S. Depart. of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
Fax: 202-282-8401
Phone: 202-282-8000
Comment line: 202-282-8495