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CA
By Jean-Guy
Allard
Granma International
September 1st, 2004
"A little girl doesn’t know anything about hatred or judges or political trials. She just needs to grow up in peace, knowing her father and having the chance to give him kisses," said Olga Salanueva during a meeting with members of the Canadian Che Guevara Brigade, commenting on the fact that their daughter Ivette has not been able to see her father for almost four years.
"When René was arrested, she was just four months old. And they tried to use her to hurt her father," she said, referring to the constant blackmail that her husband René González was victim to from the moment that he was arrested by the FBI.
In response to a question, Olga explained that she was interviewed by Amnesty International two years ago in London to discuss the visa applications that the State Department regularly refuses the families, preventing them from exercising their right to visit the prisoners.
Olga herself requested and was granted a visa in March 2002 to visit her husband with Ivette but it was revoked at the last moment.
"In the six years since the Five were arrested, the most "fortunate" relatives have only been able to visit three or four times," she indicated, condemning this serious violation of human rights.
"At the moment, several of the mothers have been waiting for a visa for five months," she added.
Adriana Pérez, the wife of Gerardo Hernández, has secured a visa on just one occasion but she was arrested and interrogated for 11 hours by the FBI on her arrival in Los Angeles, before being deported from the country under the pretext of "national security".
The George W. Bush government continues to refuse to grant these visas. Amnesty International has unsuccessfully demanded a review of these restrictions in line with international regulations that recognize the importance of the family and the right of all prisoners to receive visits.
In the case of prisoners who families live outside the United States, denying visas to relatives constitutes a serious violation of rights, according to AI.
"WE’LL NEVER GIVE UP FIGHTING"
"This has been an essentially political process and we trust that in the United States there are people with enough ethics to ensure that that country’s constitution means something," stated Magalys Llort, Fernando’s mother.
Responding to a question from one of the brigadistas, she explained that to date there has been no decision from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal in Atlanta where the case was heard last March 10 in Miami. She recalled that during the hearing, the court requested documents from both the defense and the prosecutors that were mentioned during the appeal but, according to U.S. law there is no specific time limit to return a verdict on the case.
"We will never give up fighting because we’re convinced that the truth will shine out at some point," she reiterated.
Olga Salanueva
- René Gonzalez’ wife -, Magalys Llort and Mirtha Rodríguez,
the mothers of Fernando and Antonio respectively, took part in the meeting
at the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). On behalf
of all of them, Olga took the opportunity to thank the Canadian people
for their solidarity with René, Gerardo, Antonio, Fernando and
Ramón so that they can "return to their homeland."
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