Standing with the Cuban 5 Until Victory

Thirteen years is a long time; many things have changed and others things can change as well, but what will never change is the certainty of our victory and the gratitude of the Five to people from all over the world who have given us their solidarity.
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Gerardo Hernandez
September 12, 2011
Victorville Penitentiary 

 For the thousands of supporters of the Cuban 5 around the world it is hard to even fathom that yesterday marked the 13th year of the imprisonment of Antonio, Fernando, Gerardo, Rene and Ramon. There is no way this colossal injustice could continue except if they were being held by a government that had something to hide when it comes to terrorism.

There could be no bigger example of the hypocrisy of the US government's so called war on terror than the case of these 5 brave and honourable men who are true anti terrorist fighters and protectors of their people. Today they stand just as strong in their principles of defending their homeland as they did in 1998 when the FBI arrested them.

Our struggle, that continues to demand the immediate release of the Cuban 5, has grown over these 13 years and more layers of people are becoming familiar with their case. A big reason the corporate media in the US continues to try and bury information about  the Cuban 5 is because if the truth be told  public opinion would join the chorus calling for an end to this injustice and for them to be set free to go back  home to their loved ones. We know that like any protracted struggle their ultimate freedom will be the results of the expanding solidarity movement supporting their cause.
 
This past year there has been an increase in events and actions on behalf of the Five around the world. An example of this is the 5 for the 5 campaign where on the 5th of each month people from all over the world contact the White House demanding their release providing a regular flow of pressure on Obama. With one stroke of the pen he could end this travesty and until he does the faxes, emails, letters and calls will continue to roll in. A new film by Saul Landau documenting half a century of hostilities against Cuba called, Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up was released this year and opened to a full house at Brava Theatre in San Francisco. Already over 1000 copies have been sold and are now being shown in meetings, churches, theatres and film festivals all over the US and abroad. This movie is about the five and clearly demonstrates the justification for the actions of the Cuban 5 to monitor anti Cuba terrorism in Miami.

A great deal of our inspiration comes from the Cuban 5 themselves and their families. Over the years the wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters have travelled the world with tireless dignity speaking to world leaders, parliaments and solidarity groups about the case. And the Cuban 5 themselves are not just waiting in their cells but are active participants in their own struggle by networking through mail, sending out solidarity messages and awards, and expressing themselves through art that they create despite the adverse conditions they are in.

 Gerardo's exhibit Humor from my Pen, which consists of 30 poignant political cartoons, began touring this in the U.S. year and will open in Australia later this year. Antonio's tour of his prison created paintings entitled From my Altitude has been travelling now for 2 years where it has been seen by large audiences in dozens of US cities. Ramón and Rene continue to write poetry and Fernando is now expressing himself through paintings as well.

As we enter into the 14th year of this injustice we want to be clear that we will stand with the Five until victory