[redacted] news: Fidel Castro: Washington's Stance on the Cuban Five and its Blockade is Unsustainable

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Fidel Castro: Washington's Stance on the Cuban Five and its Blockade is Unsustainable

Castro being interviewed by Venezuelan journalist Mario Silva

The five Cuban "spies" were monitoring terrorists in Miami that attack innocent civilians and tourists in Cuba. The US government does not care, or even worse, cooperate with the terrorists. Cuba has suffered more than 3 000 dead because of terrorism from US soil. And the most well known terrorist, CIA's Luis Posada Carriles, the brain behind the blowing up of a Cuban civilian airplane in 1976 where all 73 on the flight died, is considered a hero in Miami and has never been put to trial for his crimes.

So what should Cuba do to protect itself?

Mathaba 2011/10/17

In an article published on Monday by the Cuban media under the title “A Will of Iron”, Revolution leader Fidel Castro said that the recent message by Rene Gonzalez, recently released from a US jail after serving 13 prison years, reinforces “our deep conviction that the stance maintained by the US administration on the five Cuban heroes is now unsustainable, as well as its justification of the criminal economic blockade against our homeland, and the punitive measures against foreign companies that do business with Cuba.”

In his article, Fidel Castro highlights the unmoved firmness of the five Cubans, who have served long and unfair prison terms in separate US jails, even when they were submitted to punishment prison cells. “If such 'justice' was ever wrong, it was in its selection of the kind of men to be punished.” Fidel recalled the arbitrary and ill treatment given to the five Cubans and that Rene, even after having served his prison term, is forced to remain in US territory under a three-year probation.

United States vs. The Cuban Five. A Judicial Coverup

The historic leader of the Cuban Revolution also recalled crucial stages and moments of the most recent history of the country. “For all of us, who have lived critical years in the history of our homeland, Rene's words were actually moving,” he said and cited parts of the message given by the Cuban hero to its people, such as his phrase that “For me this (stay in US territory) is only a trench, a new place in which I will keep fighting for justice, so that the Cuban Five may return with you all.”

Fidel pointed out that “the imperial tyranny will not be able to maintain its vulgar lies about the injustice committed against the Five Cuban anti-terrorist Heroes,” no matter the perfidious efforts by the media under US government control to make them appear as spies that put at stake the security of the United States.

The Cuban leader said that all this reminded him of the victory of the Cuban people in their struggle for the return to Cuba of child Elian Gonzalez, amidst maneuvers by the fascist groups in the U.S.

Washington’s brutal policy has turned into an international norm, despite the almost unanimous world opinion expressed at the United Nations, only with the exception of Israel and the U.S. itself, said Fidel and recalled that Cuba unintentionally became an example of what a small state may achieve if it firmly maintains a policy based on principles. He also recalled the long-standing struggle of the Cuban people over the past 50 years, making emphasis in critical moments like the missile crisis of 1962, when Cuba did not yield to US blackmail of inspecting its territory, and in 1988, when Cubans and Angolans decided, with their victory in Cuito Cuanavale, the end of the Apartheid regime and the independence of Namibia.

In another part of the article, Fidel rejects the lies launched by Washington that Cuba is sponsoring terrorism. He recalled several violent and terrorist acts undertaken against Cuban harbors, fishing boats, bombings of air bases, and facilities, the Bay of Pigs mercenary invasion, the countless assassination attempts against Revolution leaders, the introduction of harmful viruses and bacteria in the country, like hemorrhagic dengue that killed some 150 Cuban children, among other terrorist actions. And he finished the first part of his article by stating that “Recounting the list of acts committed by the United States against our people would be endless.” (RHC)

Source: http://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=629020

Jimmy Carter: "Release the Cuban Five"

“I believe that there is no reason to keep the Cuban Five imprisoned, there were doubts in the U.S. courts and also among human rights organizations in the world. Now, they have been in prison 12 years and I hope that in the near future they will be released to return home."

“Creo que la retención de los cinco cubanos no tiene sentido, ha habido dudas en los tribunales estadounidenses y también entre las organizaciones de derechos humanos en el mundo. Ahora, ellos han estado en prisión 12 años y yo espero que en el futuro cercano sean liberados para que regresen a sus hogares."

Click to read the full interview • Click to read Carter's press conference