Report on International Day of Action to Free the Cuban Five

The protests were among several activities organised by RCG/RATB during three months of international action called by the Union of Young Communists in Cuba, to demand the release of the Cuban Five: Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Rene Gonzalez, Fernando Gonzalez and Antonio Guerrero, the five heros as they are known in Cuba, are political prisoners in U.S.. They were unjustly convicted and sentenced to a total of four life terms for opposing U.S.-sponsored terrorism. They were arrested in 1998 in the United States by the FBI and sentenced in 2001 on spy charges in a blatantly rigged political show trial in Miami. Their ‘crime’ was to prevent acts of terrorism by infiltrating the notorious right-wing, anti-Cuban groups based in Miami – the ‘Miami Mafia’. They were providing information to both the U.S. and Cuban authorities to prevent terrorist acts from taking place, acts which have cost over 3,400 lives since 1959.
Lively actions were held in busy city centres in Glasgow in Scotland, in Newcastle and Manchester in the north of England and in London, the capital city and were timed to coincide with demonstrations in New York and Los Angeles called by the April 7th Coalition in the United States. The Cuban flag, a symbol of anti-imperialist resistance, flew proudly across the country, while thousands of leaflets were distributed informing the British public and tourists from all over the world about the international campaign to free the Cuban Five and about the achievements of Cuban socialism. Hundreds of signatures were collected on petitions, illustrating the significant support for Cuba, even here in the belly of the imperialist beast. Using megaphones to inform the public, activists condemned the US blockade of Cuba, Britain’s complicity in US imperialist aggression and explained how Cuban socialism demonstrates that ‘another world is possible’, a world based on people not profit.

In London and Newcastle we used street theatre to expose the hypocrisy of the US’s war on terrorism and plans for transition to a ‘free’ Cuba. Activists dressed in orange U.S. prioner suits, with black hoods and chains to symbolise the brutal conditions for prisoners incarcerated by the US military in its concentration camp in illegally occupied Cuban territory in Guantanamo Bay. In Newcastle a demonic Uncle Sam paced manacingly behind the caged street stall with a gun, to represent the brutality of U.S. imperialism. We pointed out that this was the ‘democracy’ which the Plan Bush dreamed of imposing on the Cuban people and that the decision to build Camp X-ray in Guantanamo was an insult to the socialist revolution in Cuba, a society which placed humanity and consciousness at the centre of development.

In Manchester the protest had an added attraction – the public had the chance to show their disgust with the Labour government by throwing wet sponges at one activist dressed as Tony Blair, giving him a good soaking in the process!

During the demonstrations, we raised funds for our campaign work in support of Cuba and for the solidarity brigade which we are sending to Cuba on 21st April, to work with the Union of Young Communists in Caimito before taking part in the international conference to demand freedom for the five in Havana on 29-30 April. RCG/RATB will be donating over $5,000 to buy materials for a pioneers’ camp in Havana province to benefit the Cuban youth. This is the tenth such brigade we have sent to Cuba in the 12 years since the solidarity group was founded. Report back meetings will take place when the brigade returns (dates and venues are on the RATB website).

The imprisonment of the Cuban 5 is part of the political war on socialist Cuba by the United States. Countries that resist imperialism are labelled ‘terrorist’ states. Cuba has never used violence against a single U.S. citizen by any terrorist act, but it has suffered thousands of deaths and permanent injuries at the hands of terrorists operating out of the U.S. The so-called ‘war on terror’ has nothing to do with human rights: the case of the Cuban 5 highlights this blatant hypocrisy.

In reality, Cuban socialism and the growing revolutionary movement sweeping Latin American, particularly in Venezuela and Bolivia are the real forces of progress for humanity. These countries have shown the benefits of cooperation in trade and development through ALBA – a powerful and democratic alterative to years of neo-liberal policies which have plundered the continent and plunged millions into poverty.

Unfortunately Cuba is often dismissed as undemocratic and knowledge about contemporary Cuba is difficult to obtain in this country. Rock Around the Blockade will continue to campaign on the streets to challenge the misconceptions about Cuba and to defend real socialism which is being developed by real people. We will prepare to host a Cuban speaking tour next spring. What better way to learn about the Cuban experience than from committed Cuban communists who engaged in the daily struggle to build a socialist Cuba!

Next Sunday 15th April the Rock Around the Blockade campaign in Newcastle is hosting a public meeting to discuss this alternative socialist democracy in Cuba:

with D.L Raby, author of the recently published book
‘Democracy and Revolution: Latin America and Socialism Today’.
Millin Centre, Ellesmere Rd, Benwell, Newcastle.
Sunday 15th April, 4pm.

Directions: Up Westgate Road past General Hospital and turn left at post office onto Ellesmere Road. The Millin Centre is just down the hill on the left.
Bus routes 38, 39, 40, 10 and 11 all go past the post office. 10, 11 and 38 go from Central Station, 39 and 40 go from Old Eldon Square/hippy green.
Wheelchair access available.
All are welcome.

Free the Cuban Five!
Close Guantanamo!
End the Blockade!
Viva Cuba!

 http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/internacionales/2007-04-08/demandan-en-gran-bretana-liberacion-de-los-cinco-cubanos/