[antiwar-van] TODAY (January 8): Free the 5 Cuban Heroes Held in U.S. Jails!

[Tamara Hansen]

>> Please Forward Widely <<

REMINDER:    

*** FREE THE 5 CUBAN HEROES HELD IN U.S. JAILS! ***

2 EVENTS TODAY IN VANCOUVER!

1) Thursday January 8th 
PICKET ACTION
United States Consulate
(1075 W. Pender St , Downtown Vancouver)
4:00-5:00pm

2) Thursday January 8th  
FILM & LEGAL UPDATE ON THE CASE 
Joe’s Café – North Hall
1150 Commercial Dr (at William St) 
7:00pm

Please join Free the Cuban 5 Committee –Vancouver and Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba today for two events, part of the "CUBA IN PERSPECTIVE" 6 day series of events to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution (see more information below this announcement). The case of the 5 Cuban Heroes was recently scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. Now is an extremely important time to have our voices heard in Vancouver and around the world to put pressure on the U.S. government and Supreme Court demanding:
FREE THE CUBAN 5 NOW!
 
-> THE CASE OF THE 5 CUBAN HEROES: 10 YEARS OF INJUSTICE
Between 1994 and 1995, Cuba sent five unarmed men, Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González and René González on a mission to infiltrate and expose Miami-based terrorist groups such as Alpha 66, Omega 7, Brothers to the Rescue and the Cuban American National Foundation. These groups and others are responsible for hundreds of terrorist attacks which, according to Radio Habana, have taken the lives of more than 3,400 people in Cuba since 1959.
The well-documented list of atrocities committed by these groups and others is long. It includes the bombing of hotels in Cuba, assassinations, spreading of diseases, sabotage, and attacks against Cuba’s supporters in the US. An important example of these attacks was the bombing of the Lincoln Center in 1978 after a Cuban ballet performance. Another, and one of the most horrendous attacks, was the bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976, which took the lives of 73 people. The 5 Cuban Heroes were gathering evidence to expose the terrorists responsible for these crimes against Cuba and humanity.
Cuba released all the information that the 5 collected to the FBI. However, on September 12th 1998, the FBI arrested the Cuban 5 and threw them in solitary confinement for 17 months. The 5 Cuban Heroes have been unjustly held in US prisons for over 10 years. 

-> WHO ARE THESE 5 HEROES?
These five were very accomplished and highly regarded in Cuba. According to the website of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five (US):
> GERARDO HERNÁNDEZ studied international political relations. He fought as part of the Cuban forces in Angola against South African apartheid. Gerardo is a cartoonist and humourist, who has had many of his drawings published, including in his own book, “You Can Achieve Everything with Love and Humor”.
> ANTONIO GUERRERO was born in Miami. His parents returned to Cuba shortly after the triumph of the Cuban revolution. Antonio studied airfield construction engineering in Kiev, Ukraine. He is also a great poet and has had his works published in both English and Spanish.
> RAMÓN LABAÑINO studied and graduated with a degree in economics. He is also a very skilled athlete who participated in the All-Caribbean games.
> FERNANDO CONZÁLEZ graduated with a degree in international political relations. He was a student leader with the Federation of University Students (FEU) in Cuba during his studies. He also fought against the invading South African apartheid regime in Angola.
> RENÉ GONZÁLEZ was born in Chicago. His family returned to Cuba a couple of years after the victory of the Cuban revolution. He studied aviation and graduated as a pilot and flight instructor.
 
Organized by:
Free the Cuban 5 Committee-Vancouver
604.719.6947 | cuban5_van at yahoo.com
http://www.vancubasolidarity.com/freethefivevan.html


Every month Vancouver and Montreal unite in front of the U.S. Consulates in their cities to demand freedom for the 5 Cuban Heroes. The following is information about the Montreal protest:

EVENT TODAY IN MONTREAL 
Thursday, January 8 at 5pm-5:30pm (In front of St. James United Church 463 STE-CATHERINE WEST) & 5:30pm-6pm (March to the U.S. Consulate RUE ST-ALEXANDRE/ RENÉ-LÉVESQUE) Organized by: Table de concertation de solidarité Québec-Cuba et son Comité Fabio Di Celmo pour les 5. Endorsed by: le FMLN-Montréal et la Coalition Venezuela nous sommes avec toi. For more information contact: comitefabio@ hotmail.com | 514-728-9363
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Part of the Cuba in Perspective
PROGRAM:
1) Monday JAN 5 - Dynamism of the Cuban Revolution
2) Tuesday JAN 6 - Women & the Cuban Revolution
3) Wednesday JAN 7 – Cuba in Defense of Self-Determination: from Guantanamo to Palestine
4) Thursday JAN 8 – Picket Action - Free the 5 Cuban heroes Held in U.S. Jails!
5) Thursday JAN 8 – Film showing - Free the 5 Cuban heroes Held in U.S. Jails! 
6) Friday JAN 9 - Fidel in the Battle of Ideas
7) Saturday JAN 10 - Cuba: A Revolution in Motion

Organized by Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC)
For more information on the other events please phone 778-882-5223 or visit http://www.vancubasolidarity.com
 


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