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    Extradite Posada to Venezuela!
    ¡Extraditen a Posada a Venezuela!

    By Noah Fine
    June 13th, 2005 marked the day set for the immigration hearing of Luis Posada Carriles to claim asylum in the US from his crimes against Cuba. But for many people internationally this was a day to demand the extradition of Posada to Venezuela to be charged for his long running and brutal terrorist attacks on the people of Cuba. With a callout for action from the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition in the US, Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) picked up this campaign with Cuba, against Posada.

    Demonstrations littered the US against Posada on this day. We saw rallies in Washington, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, and Miami. With 13 endorsers from local solidarity, social justice, third-world, and student organizations this event was a success in bringing out over 150 people to the streets of downtown Vancouver to learn more about Cuba and the ongoing attacks it faces from US imperialism, generally through 44 years of the blockade and specifically through US-backed terrorists like Luis Posada Carriles.

    Posada is a terrorist known internationally. He is a self-admitted terrorist responsible for many attacks on the people of Cuba, most notably that of his help in plotting the bombing of an Air Cubana tourist flight in 1976 killing 73 people. He has also organized many attempts at assassinating Cuban president Fidel Castro.

    Posada filed a request for asylum once he entered the US, which was immediately opposed by Venezuela from which Posada escaped from sentencing in relation to his involvement with the 1976 bombing. With mass mobilization in Cuba and Venezuela demanding his extradition, pressure built on the US government to take some form of action, resulting in his detainment for having entered the US illegally and neglecting the fact that he is a known and proud terrorist. On June 13th, Posada had his first hearing for asylum and the verdict was postponed and the court date rescheduled for the end of August. Still to this day, the US fails to comply with the extradition treaty with Venezuela of which it is signatory, and refuses to bring this established and well-documented terrorist to justice.

    The US “War on Terror,” or US Terror War?

    Under the name of the “war on terror,” “liberation,” and “democracy,” the US has carried out war, occupation and ultimately created complete misery for the world’s poor and exploited. When we discuss attacks on Cuba, whether it is the case of Posada the CIA-trained terrorist, or the ongoing attacks Cuban people have faced since they won their revolution in 1959, we need to keep in mind these terms are part of the demagogy which the US uses to justify its crimes against the people of Cuba. In other words, to put it simply, WHAT IS BAD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD IS GOOD FOR THE US RULING CLASS, AND WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD IS BAD FOR THE US RULING CLASS. Posada’s case once more proved that American democracy is nothing but democracy for terrorists like Luis Posada Carriles and all of the US ruling class terrorists like George Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and all criminals alike in the US government.

    This injustice, however, has not gone unnoticed. With demonstrations across North America, in Cuba and Venezuela, pressure against Posada and against the US is growing and we only saw a glimpse of this on June 13th. August 29th is the day set for the next hearing of Luis Posada Carriles, and the next day of action calling for his extradition. This day will be a true show of the international momentum that has been built against Posada and in support of the gains made in Cuba throughout 44 years of US attacks on the country. Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba has taken on this callout for action and will be holding a march and rally on Monday, August 29th to demand:

    No Asylum for Anti-Cuban Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles! Extradite Posada to Venezuela! US Hands Off Cuba! Lift the Blockade Against Cuba! Free the Cuban Five Held in US Jails!

    ?No Asilo en Los E.U. Para Este Terrorista Anti-Cubano Luis Posada Carriles! ?Extraditen a Posada a Venezuela! ?E.U. Manos Fuera de Cuba! ?Abajo el Bloqueo Contra Cuba! ?Libertad para los Cinco Cubanos Prisioneros en los E.U.!

    For more information, please check out www.vancubasolidarity.com







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