New Year and renewed solidarity for Cuban Five freedom

Hello friends in the struggle to free the Cuban Five,

Five valiant, principled partisans of justice languish in U.S. prisons. The persecution which put the Cuban Five in prison eleven years ago, and has kept them there, violates all notions of human rights. The refusal of the U.S. government to allow visits by the wives of two of them is also unconscionable. The worldwide fight for their freedom goes on without let-up.

Right now, however, the Cuban Five prisoners could do with reminders that we are thinking of them, wishing them well, and keeping on in the struggle – in other words, that they are not alone. We urge you to get your pen or printing device in motion and send them a letter.

Their friends throughout the world have been corresponding with them all these years, as you perhaps have too. In any event, do it again, or become their comrade now, if it’s your first time.

We add below their prison addresses and, in a couple of cases, instructions for addressing the envelopes. We also add some personal information on each of the prisoners.

For more information on the lives of the Cuban Five, their families, their beliefs, and the status of the legal cases, we refer you to these web sites:

http://www.thecuban5.org/

http://www.freethefive.org/

http://www.antiterroristas.cu/

Who are the Cuban Five? Where are they?

To write Fernando Gonzalez, address the envelope:

Rubén Campa, No. 58733-004, FCI Terre Haute , P.O. BOX 33, Terre Haute, IN, 47808

Fernando was born in Havana on August 18, 1963.  He graduated summa cum laude in International Political Relations at the Higher Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1987. From 1987 to 1989 he participated as internationalist combatant in the war of liberation of Angola and against apartheid. Fernando is married to Rosa Aurora Freijanes. His original 19-year sentence was recently reduced to 17 years plus nine months

Gerardo Hernandez, # 58739-004, USP Victorville, PO BOX 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301

Born in 1965, Gerardo graduated in 1989 in International Political Relations in the Higher Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1989 to 1990 he joined the war for liberating Angola and ending apartheid. Gerardo is a caricaturist, who worked has been published. His wife Adriana Perez O’Conor has been denied the right to visit him in prison since his jailing in September, 1998. Gerardo’s sentence of two life terms plus 15 years remains.

Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez, No. 58741-004, USP Florence, PO BOX 7000, Florence, CO 81226

Antonio, born in Miami in 1958, graduated from the Technical University of Kiev as an airfield construction engineer. He participated in the expansion of the Santiago de Cuba International Airport.  Three volumes of his poetry have been published. An exhibit of Tony’s art has traveled throughout the United States. His two sons are Antonio and Gabriel. An appeals court resentencing recently reduced his life imprisonment plus 10 years to 21 years and 10 months.

To write Ramón Labañino, address the envelope:

Luís Medina , #58734-004 , U.S.P. McCreary, P.O. Box 3000, Pine Knot, KY 42635

Ramon, born in 1963, is a summa cum laude graduate in economy from the University of Havana.  Ramon and his wife Elizabeth Palmeiro have two daughters Laura and Lizbeth. He has another daughter Ailí, from his first marriage. Ramon’s original life sentence has been reduced to 30 years.

Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert, No. 58738-004, FCI Marianna, P.O. Box 7007, Marianna, FL 32447-7007

Rene, an American citizen, was born in Chicago in 1956, returning to Cuba in 1961 with his parents. A pilot and flight instructor, he fought in Angola from 1977 to 1979. he and his wife Olga Salanueva have two daughters, Irma González Salanueva, and Ivette González Salanueva. The U.S. government has prevented Olga from visiting Rene in prison for ten years. She learned December 28 that her most recent request had been denied. Rene is serving a 15 year prison term in Florida.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/airchinapilot/ / CC BY-NC 2.0