CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Call to Free the Cuban Five in Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA,  December 23, 2011.-  A resolution demanding freedom for Gerardo, Antonio, Ramon, Fernando and René was adopted on Sunday 18 at the meeting held in the City of Matara to raise knowledge on the process of updating the Cuban economic and social model and express solidarity with the Caribbean island. The meeting was chaired by the Minister and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, Dew Gunasekara; Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera and the Ambassador of Cuba, Nirsia Castro Guevara. Also present were representatives of Cuba solidarity movement in Sri Lanka, district government  and  of the South Province, members of the Cuban mission and Cuban residents, as well as leaders of the Communist Youth Federation of the country.

Several speakers addressed different aspects of the friendship between the two islands, the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba and the unjust imprisonment of Five Cuban antiterrorist fighters in USA. Minister Dew Gunasekara made the main speech  giving  a historical account of the Cuban Revolution since the very beginning till  this moment,   when  following its tradition of changing everything that must be changed as has said  the Cuban  leader Fidel Castro  the revolution has begun a process of transformation  aimed at ensuring the sustainability of Socialism on the island and remarked the many obstacles  Cuba has had to overcome as a result of U.S. policy against the island during the 53 years of the revolutionary process. Other personalities present at the meeting spoke about the ties of friendship that has existed for many years between Sri Lanka and Cuba and the commitment of all present to strengthen them.

Addressing the audience, the Cuban ambassador highly thanked on behalf of the people of Cuba and the relatives of the Five Cuban antiterrorists  for the support and sympathies received   in the friendly city of Matara and called on those present to strengthen solidarity to demand the cessation of the blockade and for the release of the five antiterrorist fighters. The diplomat pointed out that the threats have not stopped on the island and mentioned that every day   we are experiencing   sanctions imposed on persons and entities for maintaining   ties with Cuba. She considered the imprisonment of the Cuban Five as an example of the hypocrisy of the policy of fighting terrorism from the U.S. The Ambassador gave details of the unfair process to the Five and pointed out that injustice  in the case has been proven once again with the decision to prevent the return of Rene to his country after serving his sentence in prison and be bound to remain in U.S. She added that this year, it was learned that the federal government paid journalists to write against the five prior to the trial in Miami in a hostile environment that never favor the fairness of the process. The diplomat said that the Five are political prisoners and were punished for defending the people of Cuba against terrorist actions.

After the meeting that lasted all morning, the leader of the Communist Youth Federation Weeraumana Weerasinghe requested approval of a resolution calling on President Obama to sign an executive order to allow Cuban Five return home after serving 13 years in prison after an unfair trial, which has been questioned by international organizations. The resolution was unanimously approved by all present that raise both arms in unison. (Cubaminrex- Embacuba Sri Lanka)

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