The Free the Cuban 5 Committee - Vancouver
and Vancouver Communities in Solidarity
with Cuba (VCSC) send our congratulations
to everyone around the world that have been
struggling for the freedom of our 5 Cuban Heroes!
When Gerardo, Ramón and Antonio landed in
Cuba, reunited with René and Fernando, their
loved ones and the people of Cuba, a historic
victory was won for not just the Cuban 5 and
Cuba, but for the human rights of all of us. We
share with you in this immense feeling of joy!
Please see below the report and photos from two
celebratory actions held in Vancouver, Canada on
December 17, the day of their release.
VOLVIERON! THEY HAVE
RETURNED!
>>> Vancouver, Canada Celebrates the
Release of ALL 5 Cuban Heroes!
“Like stones rolling down hills, fair
ideas reach their objectives despite
all obstacles and barriers. It may be
possible to slow or hinder them, but
impossible to stop them.” Jose Marti
Before the sun had risen over Western
Canada, sleep was broken by joyful
news... Ramón, Antonio and Gerardo,
3 of our 5 Cuban Heroes, were on their
way home to Cuba! On December
17, 2014, after over 16 years of unjust
imprisonment in the United States,
ALL the Cuban 5 Heroes were free at
last! The immense joy at this historic
victory for human rights was heard all
around the world!
Preparations for the Free the Cuban 5
Committee-Vancouver’s 2 celebrations
began immediately following the victorious
announcement. Our 5 Cuban Heroes,
imprisoned unjustly for over 16 years for
defending the people of Cuba against US-
backed terrorist actions, now had the warm
Cuban sun on their faces, and their loved ones
in their arms. Now was the time to celebrate,
to recognize the significant contribution of
over 300 committees around the world that
had been struggling, alongside the people of
Cuba, to release Gerardo, Ramón, Antonio,
Fernando and René from the clutches
of the empire. Around the world people
declared VOLVIERON! THEY HAVE
RETURNED!
To mark this historic victory, the Free the
Cuban 5 Committee - Vancouver first called
for all organizers and supporters to return
to the U.S. Consulate for the 110th time.
However, this action was not a protest, but
something we had all been dreaming of for 9
long years of consecutive monthly protests, a
victory celebration! It was only 12 days
before that supporters of the 5 Cuban
Heroes went to the US Consulate for the
109th consecutive monthly picket action,
chanting for freedom for all of the Cuban
5. Now, peace and justice loving people
were gathered despite the rain and cold in
downtown Vancouver for one last time, to
share embraces and chant, “Let the world
know! The Cuban 5 are free!”
The gathering was a joyful celebration of
solidarity messages and poetry in response
to this immense victory for human rights,
including special greetings from Don
Foreman, organizer with the Canadian Union
of Postal Workers (CUPW) in Ottawa. Many
took part in the open mic, and reflected on
our many years of struggle in the campaign
for freedom of ALL 5 Cuban Heroes in
Vancouver, Canada and around the world.
The Free the Cuban 5 Committee - Vancouver
then called on everyone to continue the
celebration at a second evening event where
100 people united for this historic victory
in the united struggle the return of our 5
Cuban Heroes. An exuberant room of Cuban
5 supporters were welcomed by the Free the
Cuban 5 Committee singing choir. This was
followed by the video of Cuban President
Raul Castro’s speech on the normalization of
US/Cuba relations and release of the Cuban
5 Heroes, from earlier that day. Raul’s speech
was then followed by the beautiful victory
video of Gerardo, Ramón and Antonio, the
3 remaining Cuban 5 prisoners, landing in
Cuba and embracing their families for the
first time as free men.
Many joyful tears were shed while watching
the images of all of the 5 Cuban Heroes
together with their families; a beautiful
moment denied for over 16 years. This
moment reminded us all, that when we
struggle together as oppressed people, even
against the mightiest powers in the world, we
win.
The room then heard solidarity greetings
directly from the Cuban Ambassador to
Canada his Excellency Julio Garmendia Peña
over the phone from Ottawa. The microphone
was then opened up for participants to
come and share their own experiences and
reflections in the fight for the freedom of
the Cuban 5 Heroes. The famous quote from
revolutionary leader Ernesto Che Guevara,
“We are realists, we dream the impossible,”
became a sort of theme for the night, which
many speakers connected to the victory.
Some of the participants who shared their
words included: Wilson Muñoz, a civic
politician and social justice organizer from
El Salvador and Tim Louis, lawyer and
former Vancouver City Councillor. Others
who participated included:
poets, activists and many
leading organizers from
Latin America solidarity
work in Vancouver. Also,
musicians who have been
supporting the case of the
Cuban 5 Heroes came with
very little notice, to lend
their art to the cause. Maria
Louisa Melendez, organizer
with the FMLN Vancouver
shared songs from the
heart and soul of Latin
America, and MX Katracho,
a Honduran musician and
social justice fighter. During
his performance he shared
that over a year ago he had tied a yellow
ribbon to his guitar in support of freedom
for the Cuban 5. During the performance he
untied his yellow ribbon and attached it to a
touching gift he had made for the Free the
Cuban 5 Committee - Vancouver. The energy
was high as the night ended with the rallying
cry to take this great victory of the release of
the Cuban 5 political prisoners, and continue
to expand our campaign in Vancouver, and
around the world, to end the cruel and illegal
US Blockade against Cuba.
The international campaign to Free the
Cuban 5 political prisoners from US jails has
resulted in a tremendous and historic victory
for human rights, with the release of ALL of
our 5 Cuban Heroes, who are home with their
loved ones and the people of Cuba. The Free
the Cuban 5 Committee - Vancouver will
continue the celebration into the new year and
invites everyone to come together for a special
event on Monday January 5th, to celebrate
the 5th of the month and the release of the
Cuban 5!
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