CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Gerardo Hernandez: Birthday in a Lonely Cell

CUBA, June 5, 2010. Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo was born in Havana on June 4th, 45 years ago today among a humble family that taught him to love his homeland and social justice.

Gerardo has been in prison for almost 12 years after a biased trial in Miami in which he received unjust sentences of two life imprisonment plus 15 years for fighting terrorism.

Gerardo, declared Hero of the Republic of Cuba by the Council of State will once again spend his birthday in a lonely cell. While in prison, Gerardo has been deprived of the most elemental human rights like visits from his wife Adriana Perez who has been repeatedly denied entry visas into the US to visit her husband.

During his birthday, he remembers his mother Carmen Nordelo who passed away as a consequence of a long illness and whom he was not able to see for several years.

Alicia Jrapko, member of the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five, recalling the example of Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez, Fernando Gonzalez, Ramon Labañino and Antonio Guerrero have proclaimed that the Five and their relatives, despite the sufferings and distance with their immense love, have placed themselves at the height of the circumstances.

Gerardo was accused of conspiracy to commit murder, despite the fact that there was no evidence against him. With the objective of linking Gerardo with the downing of the two Brothers to the Rescue aircrafts that violated Cuban airspace on February 24th, 1996, the prosecution increased his sentences.

This anti terrorist fighter absolutely did not have any relation with the incident which was recognized by the testimonies offered during the trial.

While the just cause of Gerardo and his brothers, victims of Washington´s anti Cuba policy receive the support of honest people from the world that demand their immediate release.

During his defense Gerardo expressed: “The Prosecution considers and as such has requested that I should spend the rest of my life in prison. I trust that if not in this level, in another of the legal system, reason and justice will prevail (…) But if this should not happen, I would then take the liberty of quoting one of this nation's greatest patriots, Nathan Hale, when he said: "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country." By Teresa Jorge (Cubaminrex- ACN)