Pastors for Peace Reaffirm Support to Cuban Five

Havana, July 25. – Members of the 23rd Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan, a Project in solidarity with Cuba that is parking its 20th anniversary, ratified here their support to the five anti-terrorist Cuban fighters unfairly held in US prisons since 1998.

The delegation, who arrived to the Cuba on July 21 after touring about a hundred US cities collecting humanitarian assistance, were updated about the current legal state of the case and the international campaign for the relase of these five heroes.

At the Frank Pais Orthopedics Hospital in this capital, they met with relatives of these men, who were detained as they were monitoring violent actions by Florida-based terrorist groups against Cuba.

Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerero, Fernando Gonzalez, Ramon Labanino and Rene Gonzalez were given harsh prison sentences of up to double life plus 15 years in a legal process plagued with irregularities.

Gail Walker, a co-leader of the Caravan and the daughter of promoter, late Reverend Lucius Walker, told Prensa Latina that in the United States the Pastors for Peace have done great efforts for the release of The Cuban Five, as these men are internationally known.

"It is very important to us to be here with their relatives, as a great injustice is being committed against them in our country; therefore, supporting them is an extension of our faith as people of conscience," she said.

On behalf of the relatives of The Cuban Five, Elizabeth Palmeiro, the wife of Ramon's, appreciated the work done by the movement to promote their case in the United States and join hands for justice to be done.

Members of the solidarity group expressed their readiness to implement new initiatives in US territory, and proposed making a better use of social networks to spread their case, mainly among young people.

Other proposal was addressing messages to US Congress people to defend the rights of The Cuban Five and their relatives, as well as coordinating joint actions with different US labor unions.(Prensa Latina)