[antiwar-van] International Day of Action for the Extradition of Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela a Resounding Success!

[Tamara Hansen]

Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cubawww.vancubasolidarity.com | cubacommunities at yahoo.ca | 778-882-5223
 
June 13, 2005 
 
News Item For Immediate Release:
 

June 13th International Day of Action for the Extradition of Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela a Resounding Success!

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On Monday, June 13th over 150 people gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery along with Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) to say, “No Asylum for Anti-Cuban Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles in the US!” The rally, which was a part of the international day of action against Posada was the first organized in Canada and was an important way to expose the hypocrisy of the United-States in protecting Posada from the charges laid against him in Venezuela, and at the same time the hypocrisy of the Government of Canada which has not taken a position on the case. 

 

For several months, Posada, a notorious, admitted, CIA-trained anti-Cuba terrorist, has been living openly in Miami, Florida. He is responsible for multiple acts of terror throughout Latin America, including the vicious 1976 bombing of an Air Cubana flight, which killed all 73 people onboard, as well as numerous assassination attempts against Cuban President Fidel Castro.

 

Venezuela has formally filed an extradition request for Posada, as he escaped from prison in Venezuela while awaiting trial for bombing the Air Cubana flight. The United States government has arrested Posada only for illegally entering the U.S. and has refused the extradition request.

 

Today on June 13th, a diverse group of students, people of colour, youth, women, immigrants and refugees came together on the day of Posada’s hearing in El Paso, Texas to push forward the demand, “Extradite Posada to Venezuela NOW!” 

 

Rally MC and coordinator of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC), Tamara Hansen opened by saying, “The fact that the US is refusing to extradite Posada to Venezuela basically protects Posada from being charged with his true terrorist crimes, such as the Air Cubana flight bombing in 1976. The hypocrisy of the U.S. government’s ‘war on terrorism’ and ‘anti-terrorist’ policies are clearly exposed as lies by the United-States’ support of Posada.”

 

Speakers at the rally included: Vancouver City Councillor Tim Louis; Charles Boylan of the Vancouver Internationalist Bolivarian Circles; Asif Ali Shah from the United Muslim Alliance and Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO); Ronald Chavez of the Vancouver FMLN; Thomas Davies of the Vancouver Free the Cuban 5 Committee; the Social Justice Committee Coordinator of the Capilano Students’ Union, Lindsay Clark; and Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba’s Aaron Mercredi.

 

One of the main highlights of the program was a report back from the protest at Posada’s hearing in El Paso Texas by Gloria La Riva, an organizer with the National Committee to Free the Five in the United-States. 

 

Another important demand of the rally was that the Government of Canada takes action and demand that Posada be extradited to Venezuela. In 1997, a Canadian resident named Fabio Di Celmo was killed by Posada-organized terrorism, when a bomb exploded inside of the hotel he was visiting in Havana. Posada has since admitted to organizing the deadly attack, however the government of Canada has so far chosen to remain silent, by taking no public position on the murder, or Posada’s recent resurfacing in Miami.

 

During his speech Aaron Mercredi called on the Government of Canada to take a stand against Posada. He said, “If the government of Canada is really serious about human rights and ‘fighting terrorism’ it should take immediate action and to know why the US administration is protecting a well-known anti-Cuba terrorist. The government of Canada must demand the immediate return of Posada to Venezuela.”

 

The rally and march wrapped up with Cuban music and organizers and participants in the rally staying to discuss more about the case and gathering signatures for Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba’s petition campaign to demand “No Asylum for Luis Posada Carriles! Defend Cuba Against Terrorist Attacks! Honour the Extradition to Venezuela!”

 

For more information on the rally and petition campaign including photos please visit the Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) website at: www.vancubasolidarity.com

 

Or contact the group at cubacommunities at yahoo.ca or 778-882-5223  

 

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Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba’s Next Event!

 

Celebration of the July 26th Movement 

& the gains of the Cuban Revolution! 

 

Music, Speakers & Dancing

Tuesday, July 26th 

6:30pm

 

Trout Lake Community Centre

3350 Victoria Dr.

(Near Victoria Dr. and 16th Ave.)

 

Organized by: Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC)

www.vancubasolidarity.com | 778-882-5223 | cubacommunities at yahoo.ca  

 




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