Venceremos Brigade Press Statement on the Cuban Five
June 17 , 2009
Reprinted from xyz
The Veneceremos Brigade is outraged - but not surprised - by the Supreme Court's decision refusing to hear the case of the Cuban 5, five Cubans sent to Miami to monitor terrorist plots against Cuba.
It is our own legal system which has exposed itself - yet again. After decades of taking no action against the plotters and planners, the assassins and bombers in Miami, it is no surprise that the 'highest court in the land' refuses to even listen to the cries for justice from these Cuban patriots.
These men had not only collected evidence of plots against their own homeland but had also uncovered plans to bomb airplanes headed for Cuba - including the flights from Miami. This evidence was turned over to the FBI. But instead of rounding up the plotters, they arrested the men who had exposed the plot!
Despite multiple legal infractions, dozens of amicus curiae briefs-including 10 authored by Noble Prize winners in addition to jurists and parliamentarians, condemnation by the UN Human Rights Commission, and widespread pressure from the international community, the Cuban Five remain incarcerated without the right to a fair trial.
They deserved a fair trial and did not get it. Now they deserve their immediate freedom to return to their wives, children, and families after ten years of arbitrary and cruel imprisonment.
In the eyes of much of the world, our legal 'justice' system stands for Abu Graib, Guantanamo, indefinite detention, and torture. Yet the United States dares to speak to Cuba about political prisoners, a politicized justice system, and most importantly-freedom and justice!-when Gerardo, Ramón, René, Antonio and Fernando remain incarcerated for protecting Cubans and Americans against terrorism organized in the U.S.!
How does the Obama administration expect to turn a new page with Cuba and Latin America when it's Justice Department encouraged the Supreme Court to deny a hearing for the 5, who came here because of our country's history of sponsoring and supporting violence against the people of Cuba and Latin America? That history’s legacy can be found in South Florida, where violent right-wing Cuban-American groups operate freely. That is where the Cuban Five were sent and this is where they were denied justice.
Cuba has declared over and over again that it holds no animosity against the American people and is willing to normalize relations with the U.S. government. Cuba’s only prerequisite: mutual respect for each country's sovereignty. President Obama holds that the Cuban people’s freedom is a prerequisite and now he has an opportunity to do just that by freeing the Cuban 5 today!
The Supreme Court has failed to act. We demand that President Obama immediately pardon the Cuban 5!
The Venceremos ("We shall overcome") Brigade is a 40-year old anti-imperialist education and work project which advocates the end of the U.S. travel ban and economic blockade against Cuba. | 
