Aleida Guevara tells Miami Five Vigil to “break the blockade of silence imposed on the truth”

Hundreds of activists, trade unionists and campaigners lay siege to the US Embassy in London yesterday to protest against the ongoing unjust treatment of the Miami Five by the United States. The Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s annual Vigil for the Miami Five has become an integral part of the British campaign in support of the Five and, this year, fell a week after the 14th anniversary of their arrest.

The sixth annual vigil for the Miami Five welcomed speakers from across the trade union and labour movement, enjoyed performances from actors and musicians and heard from Aleida Guevara, daughter of iconic Argentine revolutionary Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara. 

The trade union movement has been fundamental in growing the campaign to Free the Five. As usual, this support was visible on the night as trade union flags and banners were festooned throughout the audience and the platform boasted speakers from a number of the 24 national unions affiliated to CSC. These included Frances O’Grady (TUC), Len McCluskey (Unite), Eric Roberts (Unison), Christine Blower (NUT), Billy Hayes (CWU), Manuel Cortes (TSSA), Jonathan Ledger (Napo) and Carolyn Simpson (SERTUC).  All agreed that – whilst it was sad to continue the struggle for justice – their unions would continue to do all they could in support of the Miami Five and their estranged families.

New TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady “brought the support of the whole TUC” and declared “we want immediate and unconditional release now”. Frances was, “delighted that the first rally I’m speaking at as General Secretary of the TUC is in support of the Miami Five”. She highlighted the irony that the Miami Five remain imprisoned for defending Cuba against terrorism in a country famous for inventing the “so-called War on Terror”. As she remarked, the hypocrisy of the US “knows no bounds”. 

One of the biggest champions of the Miami Five in recent years has been Unite the Union and – in the last year – they have welcomed the mothers of the Five and the wives of the Five to their Sector and National Policy Conferences. General Secretary Len McCluskey sent a clear message to the American Embassy – and the US government – that they “are not just dealing with 11m Cubans, they are dealing with the whole of the working class movement throughout the world. We will not allow you to bully and intimidate our Cuban comrades”. He placed the persecution of the Miami Five within a history of aggressive US policy towards Cuba and emphasised, in particular, the ongoing blockade.

Cathy Jamieson MP made an important contribution as she urged the assembled crowd to lobby their MP to sign EDM 497. The EDM was tabled by Michael Connarty MP and calls for visitation rights to be granted to Olga and Adriana – wives of Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez – who have been unable to see their husbands for 14 years. In little over a week, the EDM has accrued nearly 30 signatures from parliamentarians representing eight different parties.

Progressive legal firms have been crucial in the ongoing legal struggle in support of the Five. Doug Christie and Steve Cottingham spoke on behalf of two firms – Thompsons and O.H. Parsons respectively – that have led the field in the UK. Doug and Steve gave an update on the legal situation – including reference to recent revelations that the U.S government paid journalists at the time of the trial to write prejudicial articles – and contextualised the treatment of the Five within a history of state collusion and conspiracy. 

Moving musical accompaniment was provided by Omar Puente and Rebecca Thorn with a wonderful rendition of Hasta Victoria – which got the audience singing along – whilst actors Adjoa Andoh and Andy de la Tour performed an emotive reading of letters exchanged between Rosa Aurora Freijanes and her imprisoned husband Fernando Gonzalez.

As darkness descended and candles flickered in the wind, Aleida Guevara entered the stage to rapturous applause.  Aleida echoed previous contributions that we struggle, not just for the Five, but for their brave mothers, wives, children and families. She lamented that their trial and incarceration “violates the legal norms of the United States”.

Aleida thanked those in attendance – and those in support of the campaign – for their solidarity. “Thank you for your resistance – but we still have to do more. We need to multiply our force. Let’s break the blockade of silence imposed on the truth. As Jose Marti said, bad people triumph when good people sleep.”

“We leave your country with hope in our hearts”

Photo by Mark Thomas

The three surviving mothers of the Miami Five have thanked trade unionists for the help and support offered to them during a recent visit to the UK, writes CSC Communications Manager Natasha Hickman for Union News.

Irma Sehwerert, Magali Llort, and Mirtha Rodriguez came to the UK in December to speak at Unite sector conferences and to speak at the annual Cuba Solidarity Campaign vigil outside the US Embassy in London.

Their sons were arrested by the FBI in September 1998 and charged with spying, shortly after they had passed information to the US government about terrorist groups operating from Miami who were planning attacks against the Cuba people.

Although best known as the mothers of the Five, all three women played their own individual roles in building the Cuban society and revolution for which their sons sacrificed their freedom.

Rene’s mother, Irma, grew up in Chicago and between1956-59 was active in raising US funds for the 26th July Movement in support of Fidel Castro’s guerrilla army. Both Magali and Mirtha were once trade union leaders in their own right, and all three expressed a keen interest in, and support for the 30th November public pension strike action which took place during their stay.

Speaking at the Candlelit Vigil outside the US embassy on 1 December, Magali paid tribute to the striking workers: “Cuba is present alongside you and anyone engaged in struggle for justice in whatever part of the world.”

With such a family legacy, it is no wonder their sons became heroes and volunteered to defend the country and revolution their mothers had helped to build.

In the 90s, Rene, Antonio, Ramon, Gerardo and Fernando, infiltrated right-wing Miami based groups responsible for almost 3,500 Cuban deaths since 1959. The information they gathered was passed on to the FBI, who rather than arrest the terrorists, arrested the five, and charged them with conspiracy to commit espionage and sentenced to harsh jail terms of 15 years to double life.

Their case has been taken up by Nobel prize winners, and religious, legal and human rights groups across the world including Amnesty International. In the UK, both the TUC and many unions have passed conference motions and are active in support of the campaign for justice for these five Cuban men unjustly imprisoned in US jails since 1998 for trying to stop terrorist attacks against their country.

“Since this date there has not been a moment of happiness. In the years that have passed we have witnessed violations of their rights, difficulties visiting them, and denial of visas to two of their wives. It has been a nightmare that has lasted more than 13 years” explains Irma.

And since their arrests in 1998, the families have continued to fight for their freedom, travelling around the world, speaking to whoever will listen and trying to break the international silence around the case.

Irma has just returned from visiting her son in Miami. Although released on 7 October 2011, Rene must stay another three years on supervised release. His mother is visibly and justifiably worried for his safety since he must live in a secret location, forced into hiding in close proximity the very terrorist groups that he was in the US to infiltrate.

“The media silence has prohibited people from knowing that our sons were only in Miami to monitor groups that have devastated the lives of thousands of Cuban families by carrying our terrorist activities against Cuba for more than 50 years. Their only mission was to find out about these actions to stop them from happening again, not just against Cubans but against the American people and other nationalities visiting Cuba too.”

Antonio’s mother Mirtha is just a few weeks away from her 80th birthday and painfully aware that she may not live to see justice for her son. “I don’t have much time left. Antonio must serve another five years, and then a further five on supervised release in the US. My life is short but what I have experienced since being here fills me with hope for the future and for my son. I can see that the work you are doing in the UK is real, and it won’t stop when we get on the plane back to Havana. I know you will continue fighting for Antonio when I am no longer able to do so myself.”

Speaking alongside Brendan Barber, Tony Woodley, Sally Hunt and 19 other trade union leaders and MPs at the annual US Embassy candlelit vigil for the Miami Five the three mothers gave thanks to the 250 people gathered there and the wider trade union and solidarity movement in Britain.

“We had heard about your work before but we want to tell you with all our hearts that what we have experienced has completely surpassed every expectation we had. We bring thanks and love from the Five to you all, and thank you for the warmth and solidarity which you have shown us in our short time here.

“We leave your country with hearts full of hope and with immense thanks for all that you are doing for Cuba and for the Five.”

Vigil for the Miami Five

Please start mobilising for this Vigil today. Bring candles, flags and trade union banners.

Full details and Facebook group here. Full list of speakers here.