Solidarity Greetings to the 100th Monthly Picket Action in Vancouver to Free ALL the Cuban 5

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Greetings from Kenia Serrano Puig, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)

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Greetings from Rock Around the Blockade – England

Dear Free the Cuban 5 Committee – Vancouver

Solidarity greetings from Rock around the Blockade, a British campaign in solidarity with socialist Cuba. We are impressed and proud of the achievement which you celebrate today: 100 protests to demand justice for the Cuban Five. Through your determination and commitment you are playing a leading role in the international movement for the Five.

It is a great relief to know that Fernando González joins Rene safely back in Cuba – without being delayed by the US immigration authorities. After 15 years of totally unjust, ‘cruel and unusual’ imprisonment, this would have been an intolerably punitive measure. Now we must redouble our efforts to demand the immediate release of the three remaining members of the Cuban Five still incarcerated: Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino and Gerardo Hernandez. We are confident that the Free the Cuban 5 Committee – Vancouver will continue to campaign, as will Rock around the Blockade, in solidarity with the Cuba Revolution and the sons and daughters who defend it. The Cuban Five’s legal representatives, and the Cuban government, have pointed out that given the political nature of the case, a political movement is needed to demand justice. Without this, Gerardo will never return to his homeland for which he sacrificed so much.

Rock around the Blockade will be supporting the International Commission of Inquiry into the case of the Cuban Five which takes place in London on 7 and 8 March, and on 9 March we are hosting a rally in Trafalgar Square, the iconic square in the centre of London. We are delighted that representatives of the Vancouver Committee will be joining us there and we hope to strengthen our links and the coordination of future actions.

Keep up the good work. Solidarity and ‘abrazos’ to you all!

Rock around the Blockade

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Greetings from the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC)

The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) proudly congratulates the Vancouver Free the Five Committee on its 100th monthly picket at the US Consulate in Vancouver in support of the release of all of the five Cuban Heroes.

This is a major accomplishment in the world wide campaign to mark the fifth of the month as a day of solidarity with the Cuban Five. For more than 8 years, on the fifth of every month, Vancouverites have consistently attended the picket, with signs and handouts to make known the injustice that the five Cuban heroes have suffered for more than 15 years. This takes organization, sacrifice and commitment to time and again demonstrate and campaign for their release.

The Canadian Network on Cuba endorses the 100th monthly picket in Vancouver and has called upon our member organizations to organize in conjunction local events for justice for the Cuban Five. Pickets and events will take place on March 5th 2020 in Ottawa, Toronto and other cities in conjunction with this 100 picket in Vancouver.

Special guests, including the Cuban Ambassador Julio Garmendia Peña, Political Attaché of the Cuban Embassy Miraly Gonzalez Gonzalez, author Stephen Kimber, and trade unionist Don Foreman will attend a evening event in Vancouver recognizing the outstanding work of Vancouver Free the Five Committee.

The Canadian Network commends the Vancouver Free the Cuban Five Committee for its significant activities for solidarity and justice for the Cuban Five.

End the Injustice!
Free all the Cuban Five Now!
Viva Cuba!

Canadian Network on Cuba

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Greeting from the Chicago Committee to Free the Cuban 5

We are honored you are part of the movement for justice for Cuba and the Cuban 5. We have long seen the Vancouver Committee to Free the Cuban 5 as a model committee to emulate for those of us in the United States.

We see this in many ways:

You are an example to all of us of how the younger generation can take the lead in the struggle and in the process help educate and encourage we  activists of the older generation.

Your work is not just limited to defense of Cuba’s rights, but to the defense of all the ALBA countries. These countries show “A New World is Possible” and is being born in Latin America.

You do not limit yourselves to this work.  For example, we in Chicago saw during the anti-NATO protests that you have taken this message to the activists in the anti-war movement as a whole. We are glad you recognize that the example of Cuba and the ALBA countries must always be  taken to the larger social movements.
We praise your stamina, commitment and untiring work, as can be seen by this 100th monthly protest for the freeing these U.S. political prisoners.

May we some day be able to match your work.
Until then, and in recognition, we would like to celebrate this 100th protest with you by donating $10 for each and every monthly protest for the Cuban 5 you have had.

Stan Smith
Gisela Lopez
Peggy Valdes

Chicago Committee to Free the Cuban 5

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Greetings from Imagination For International Solidarity (IFIS) in Seoul, Korea

Dear Comrades in Vancouver,

Today, March 5th, the historical 100th picket action for the freedom of the Cuban 5 is being held in Vancouver. It is also the first anniversary of the death of “our” president Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

It symbolizes that you are now struggling for freedom, peace and justice on the street, not just on behalf of the Cuban people, but also on behalf of all of the revolutionaries across the world who have fought and died for the exact same causes.

Even though we are very far from you there, we want to praise you for your effort and struggle. We promise to stand by you with our hearts and to move forward towards the final victory shoulder to shoulder. Lastly, we conclude this short message of solidarity with the 100th picket for the Cuban 5 by adding part of poem written by a Korean resistance poet who was imprisoned for almost ten years in the 1980’s.

Freedom

When I labor for everyone, I am free. If I don’t work extremely hard, How dare I sing out that I’m free?
When I struggle for everyone, I am free. If I don’t fight and spill my blood, How dare I sing out that I’m free?
When I fight for everyone, I am free. If I don’t shed my blood, sweat, and tears, How dare I sing out that I’m free?

In solidarity,

Imagination For International Solidarity(IFIS) in Seoul, Korea