By Laura V. Mor on September 12, 2024 from Havana
The Cuban 5 soon after their freedom. Photo: Ismael Francisco
Twenty-six years ago today, those known worldwide as the Cuban Five heroes were unjustly detained by the FBI for defending Cuba’s sovereignty and preventing new terrorist attacks planned from the United States.
On September 12, 1998, Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González Llort and René González Sehwerert were arrested in the United States on charges of conspiracy to commit espionage.
The Five had been sent unarmed to the United States to monitor the activities of Miami-based terrorist organizations, which had been carrying out violent attacks against Cuba for decades, including the sabotage of civilian aircraft and attacks against tourist facilities. These organizations, such as the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF), the Council for Cuban Liberty (CLC), Brothers to the Rescue, Democracy Movement and Alpha-66 are some of those that have carried out terrorist acts against the Cuban people since the time of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
The detention of the five Cubans took place almost three months after the visit to Havana of a U.S. delegation including the FBI to which was delivered material with abundant documentary and testimonial information about organized terrorist plans against Cuba, financed by the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) (an organization responsible for services to the counterrevolution of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, protagonist of events such as the mid-flight bombing of a plane with 73 people on board off the coast of Barbados in 1976).
The material Cuba handed over to them included detailed investigations into terrorist acts planned between 1990 and 1998, hard evidence such as photographs of weapons and explosives, as well as 51 pages of the list of the CANF budget allocated to various groups to act within the country. At that time, the FBI received the files of 40 terrorists of Cuban origin (most of them residing in Miami) together with the data to locate them; as well as recordings of telephone conversations with Posada Carriles where precise instructions were given to commit the sabotage.
The U.S. delegation also took with them samples of the bombs deactivated in the Meliá Cohiba Hotel in April 1997 and in a tourist bus in October of the same year; as well as the explosive device confiscated from two Guatemalans in March 1998 and the recordings of their statements, which detailed their direct links with Luis Posada Carriles. None of this evidence was used by the U.S. side to arrest these criminals or open any investigation into them; instead they went after the messengers; the Cuban Five.who initially were imprisoned in Miami, held without bail for 33 months and 17 of those months were in solitary confinement.
Following the indictment (and although they were on record as having peacefully and unarmed penetrated anti-Cuban terrorist groups in order to make their criminal intentions known), they were convicted in a rigged trial, the longest in federal court history and consequently found guilty.
The Five received sentences ranging from 15 years to two life sentences, with no evidence that they posed a danger to U.S. national security.
The promise of “They Will Return”
Protest at the White House calling for the freedom of the Cuban Five, photo: Bill Hackwell
The unjust imprisonment of the Five gave rise to a broad campaign of solidarity worldwide, demanding their freedom. Social organizations, political parties and solidarity movements in Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and in the US united in a single voice denouncing the injustice. Personalities, academics, religious, jurists, parliamentarians, artists, groups of friends in solidarity with Cuba and even presidents of different countries, joined their voices to denounce this fact again and again. There was no US embassy or consulate around the world that did not face sustained demonstrations over those long years.
Countless campaigns and marches were held around the world every September 12. Thousands of people marched with their photos demanding an end to injustice and denouncing the atrocities committed by the United States in terms of terrorism and interference against free and sovereign states. Hundreds of letters were presented to the U.S. Embassies in the different countries, accompanied by signatures of important personalities from the world of politics and culture.
“I can only tell you one thing: they will come back”, Fidel had enunciated those words on May Day 2001. On December 17, 2014, and that promise came true: Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero were released and returned to Cuba, welcomed with open arms by Raúl and the jubilation of the Cuban people, who already considered them heroes.
Thanks to the relentless struggle of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, together with the Cuban people who considered them sons and international pressure, the last three of the Five Heroes still in prison were released as part of an agreement between the Cuban and U.S. governments on that date.
Previously, in 2013, René requested to modify the conditions of his supervised release and the stay in Cuba was accepted in exchange for renouncing his U.S. citizenship. Fernando, after serving a sentence of 17 years and nine months had been released on February 27, 2014.
January 2015, the Cuban 5 receive the honor of Heroes of the the Republic of Cuba. photo: ACN
In January 2015, they were decorated by Raul Castro with the title of Heroes of the Republic of Cuba, in recognition of their sacrifice and unwavering loyalty to revolutionary ideals.
Today marks the 26th anniversary of their imprisonment, an event that continues to be remembered with respect and admiration in Cuba and around the world; since they represent in themselves a symbol of resistance, dignity and unwavering commitment, even in the face of the harsh situations they have lived through during the years of captivity. The case of the Cuban 5 teaches us many things but most importantly is that only through struggle will there be victory.
Successive U.S. administrations, regardless if they are Democrat or Republican, continue to try and strangle Cuba financially while supporting subversive plans of disruption against Cuba through the use of networks and computer programs to alter the constitutional order and generate subversion and internal destabilization.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – Cuba