Cuba Hosts Youth Symposium of Solidarity with Cuban Anti-Terrorists

Nuevitas, Cuba, Oct 4.- In the context of the International Day of Solidarity with the Cuban anti-terrorist fighters known worldwide as the Cuban Five, the Third Youth Symposium begins today in this northern city of Camaguey, to press for the release of the men, unjustly imprisoned in the United States.

The president of the organizing committee for the meeting, Yasmany Zurita, stated that students, young adults, and foreign scholarship students studying in Cuba will attend the event.

Zurita said that in Nuevitas, some 630 kilometers east of Havana, a program will run until Saturday, Oct. 5, that includes a tour of the most important economic, political and social centers.

She said that an exchange between lawyers and union leaders is planned for today to discuss the case of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez, and Rene Gonzalez, who were arrested in 1998 in Miami, for monitoring terrorist actions being plotted against the island.

Rene Gonzalez is the only one of the Cuban Five who has returned to the island for good, after completing 13 years in prison and an additional punishment of supervised release in the U.S.

The Cuban Five were condemned to long, harsh prison sentences, and in case of Gerardo, two life sentences plus 15 years.

Three working committees will meet as part of the Youth Symposium. They will work on various projects including a proclamation to be issued by the Camagüey Youth, along with other youth groups. (Lazaro D. Najarro/Prensa Latina)