Campaigner asks President Obama to release Miami 5 – but gets no response

Andy Young, CSC Brigadista

POLITICAL campaigner Andy Young has e-mailed US President Obama in a bid to get The Cuban Five released from American custody, and he has just returned from a trip to Cuba.

Andy, 52, says the five intelligence officers convicted of espionage and other offences in Miami in the 1990s are innocent. “They were working to prevent terrorism when they were arrested,” he said.

Unemployed Andy, who lives in March, has received letters from two of the five men - also known as the Miami Five - and he has written to them in captivity.

He explained: “My son lived in Venezuela for a year, and so I got involved in South American politics.”

Andy made the three-week trip to Cuba with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.

With other members of the Northern Brigade, Andy worked in the fields, and took various items to give to Cuban residents, including razor blades and toothpaste. They stayed in a camp while clearing ground ready for cultivation, and then spent some time sight-seeing.

Andy said: “This was the 54th trip the campaign has made to Cuba, but the first time I have been with them. Cuba is a very beautiful country. Havana is semi-derelict, but they have some magnificently preserved 50-year-old cars on the streets.

“We worked alongside the Cubans with hoes and machetes to clear away weeds, so derelict land can be brought back into production.

“Four of The Cuban Five are still in jail, and one is under house arrest, and they are not allowed to see their families. I asked President Obama to free them, but had no response.”

This article appeared in the Cambridge Times

Cuba acts as inspiration

Will Stone of the Morning Star speaks to actor Adjoa Andoh about her recent trip to Cuba.

"I think Cuba has got a lot to teach us about being decent," says actress Adjoa Andoh. She's taken time out during her lunch break at the BBC, where she's recording a radio play, to tell me about her first impressions of the country.

Andoh recently made her Hollywood debut alongside Morgan Freeman in Clint Eastwood's Invictus and was one of several actors from this country to perform at the Havana Theatre Festival in November.

During their trip, organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, they performed a series of works by playwright Harold Pinter, who was posthumously awarded the International Medal Of Friendship by the Cuban government for his support of Cuba, its people and the revolution.

"When we arrived the airport reminded me of being back home in Ghana, so I loved that," Andoh recalls.

"During the journey in from the airport to Havana I was struck by how green and lush everything was - very rural - and the fact that there was no advertising."

The festival's opening ceremony in a young people's centre was "just fabulous" with giant puppets, stilt-walkers, Cuban hip-hop, film installations, artwork and fireworks.

It was a "real vibrant scene," she says.

And she was impressed by meeting people working at cultural institutes who told her their job is to discover the particular gifts of children and then to put them on the path to developing those gifts. "That's really something else," she stresses.

She cites the Cuban school system, which tests children to see what they have an aptitude in so that those with an engineering will study in that direction and those with a gift for acting will go to drama school.

Apart from "free education, free healthcare, free sanitary wear and free condoms," that discovery of what it is that somebody's gifted in and "how we help them to flourish as a human being," are all things Adjoa believes Britain could follow Cuba's example in.

"That is not education's purpose in this country," she says. "We don't educate to find out what people are really good at so I feel that we are just losing the talents of huge chunks of our population because we're not looking that hard."

Apart from performing Pinter the group helped to run drama workshops and went to visit a music school where the instruments were provided by a fund set up by singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, a great lover of Cuba, who was tragically killed 11 years ago.

"It was like Fame in the tropics," Andoh jokes. "There would be children practising on balconies, then you would walk around a corner and there'd be someone playing a bassoon, you'd go upstairs and there'd be another child playing a cello. It was the most inspiring thing.

"We also went to a school for children with disabilities. There was no provision for these children pre-revolution and now they have schools across the island.

"But everyone is working with one hand tied behind their back because they don't get access to all the latest equipment because they're poor and because of the embargo."

Basics like loo paper and soap may be rationed in Cuba, she says, "because they're denied access for wanting to live in a world that is about valuing everybody and not one of 'you can get it if you've got the money and if you haven't got the money you get nothing'."

A negative impression from the trip is that while recognising that tourism gives its economy a welcome boost, it potentially skews Cuba's intent to create a society where all are treated as equal.

"Having tourism back is a tension," she explains.

"Those people who interact with tourists on a face-to-face level such as taxi drivers have access to income that's not available to someone who's just done a 14-hour shift in a hospital or who is doing fabulous teaching work at a school in the middle of the countryside.

"There is a sense of a project of people being of equal value in Cuba that is wonderful and my concern was our being there as tourists kind of skews that a bit and could risk causing disillusionment among Cubans."

As for the Pinter performances, Andoh says they were a resounding success. The pieces were introduced and contextualised in Spanish by Cuban actors and actresses, with the poems read in Spanish first before the actors interpreted them in English.

"Pinter's humour, the stuff about oppressive regimes, the romantic drama and the interplay between men and women all went down very well," she says.

And she was struck by incredibly low ticket prices of 10 pesos - about five pence - that ensure the arts are not an exclusive preserve for the wealthy people, "allowing for Cubans to be brought up around culture from a very young age."

The five hours in the Museum of the Revolution obviously made a huge impression on Andoh, who confesses that she "wept on every floor" to see how much people endured pre-revolution to get the dictator Batista out.

"You see what people sacrificed and see photos of young women in the movement walking through the forests carrying their rifles. Then 20 years later you see older ladies in government and it's the same women," she says.

"Castro sent medical aid to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to a country that embargoes Cuba. You have that sense that Cuba's mentality is that we are one human race and as citizens of the world we have a duty to commit to each other."

“Why would we adopt capitalism now?”

Seminar report of ‘21st Century Cuba: Economic Development and Labour Relations’ at Latin America Conference 2011

In a lively discussion on economic developments and labour relations in 21st century Cuba, Emily Morris from London Metropolitan University began by contextualising the challenges facing Cuba’s evolving economy.

Emily demonstrated that, by 2004, the Cuban economy had recovered to the same levels as before the collapse of the Soviet Union. The recovery prior to 2004 had been driven by tourism and nickel and this had been buoyed by a surge in export services to countries such as Venezuela. Therefore, Emily concluded that, “it’s important to note that the current situation in Cuba is not due to economic mismanagement, but as a result of global financial crises” combined with the effects of three devastating hurricanes and a collapse in the price of nickel.

Emily noted that there is increasing acknowledgement of the significance of changes in Cuba and observed that some on the left – drawing parallels with the USSR’s pursuit of perestroika and glasnost – are concerned about the implications of these changes.  Emily argued that it’s wrong to characterise changes as an abandoning of socialism because socialist planning will remain the main means of economic management, although it will take the market into account. Instead, Cubans talk about “perfecting socialism”.  

Emily also challenged the Western assumption that economic changes in Cuba are part of “Raul’s project” by citing a speech made by Fidel in 2005 which signified a major reassessment of how the economy was run.

Furthermore, it is wrong to view changes in Cuba as a result of top-down government. As Emily showed, all policy decisions were reached through mass public consultation. Over 9 million Cubans participated in 163 000 public meetings. 3 million contributions were made and, from this, 800 000 individual ‘opinions’ were discerned which formed the basis of 311 new guidelines.

Dr Steve Ludlam of Sheffield University acknowledged that, although Cuban GDP had recovered to pre-Special Period levels by 2004/5, this had not been matched with real investment and much of the economy was still disrupted and unproductive. The economy was struggling to raise incomes and agricultural production whilst the socialist principle of distribution – that remuneration is based on input – was being challenged by unearned income through remittances.

Steve reiterated what Emily had said and argued that changes in Cuba were aimed at making the economy more efficient and “preserving the conquests of the Cuban revolution”. Steve re-emphasised the long process of public engagement and noted that all changes and developments will be carried out in a planned and orderly fashion with close consultation with workers and trade unions. “Workers are entitled to be consulted on any legislation which affects them and trade unions effectively have a veto on all workers’ legislation”. Workers’ assemblies must approve all production plans, implementation laws and collective bargaining with a turnout of at least 70%.

According to Steve, the process of restructuring “shows the power and influence of workers and trade unions in Cuba”. Cuba is trying to break away from the attitude of the 1990s and embrace self-employment. Trade unions are at the centre of these developments and are communicating directly with self-employed people to find out how they can represent them and offer support. As a result, self-employed people have the same rights to pensions, accident benefits and other social security as other Cuban workers. All this testifies to the inclusive and democratic nature of politics in Cuba which embraces trade unionism and workers as a core pillar of government.

Carlos Alfaro from the Cuban Embassy echoed the conclusions of the two British academics and emphasised Cuba’s commitment to socialism. Carlos said that there has been three crucial moments for the Cuban economy since 1959: First after the triumph of the revolution, second after the collapse of the Soviet Union and third the current global financial crisis. “Three times we have faced a major economic dilemma and three times we have rejected a capitalist model – why would we adopt capitalism now?”
 

“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.”

Two fantastic opportunities to spend May Day 2012 in Cuba

Witness the sights, sounds and smells of Cuba and experience firsthand the principles of equality, community and international solidarity.

The Cuba Solidarity Campaign is organising two specialised trade union visits to Cuba next Spring to enjoy the iconic and unforgettable May Day celebrations and learn more about the country, its unions and the effects of the US blockade.

The Young Trade Unionists’ May Day Brigade and the May Day Study Tour will show solidarity with over one million Cuban workers as they parade through Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución.

"The May Day parade was amazing. It was moving to see so many people coming together to celebrate their country" - Lisa, May Day Brigade 2011)

Participants will visit Havana’s famous Museum of the Revolution and receive an exclusive invitation to the International Solidarity Conference alongside activists from across the globe and families of the Miami 5. Professional visits to schools, factories, hospitals and universities will provide insight into the achievements of the revolution and allow delegates to strengthen links with sister unions.

“Cuba really opened my eyes about what can be achieved in a society built around working together for the benefit of everyone” - James, May Day Brigade 2008

Our fifth annual May Day Brigade will also contribute to the agricultural development of the country through voluntary work sessions as participants discover the reality of life for Cubans living under the illegal US blockade of their country. Over 100 young trade unionists – from Unison, Unite, GMB, CWU, RMT, TSSA, BFAWU, PCS and the UCU – have previously taken part in our May Day Brigade.

“The May Day Brigade was one of the best experiences of my life. Viva Cuba!” - Vikki, May Day Brigade 2011

Both tours are a wonderful opportunity to see the real Cuba away from the usual tourist trail. They provide an inspiring and humbling view of Cuba’s intrepid resistance against 50 years of blockade and allow you to experience Cuba’s rich and diverse cultural heritage whilst providing visible solidarity and support to the Cuban people.

• Young Trade Unionists’ May Day Brigade, 26 April – 10 May 2012, £999 – Cost includes flights, accommodation, food, transport and visas. Delegates will stay on the Julio Mella camp outside Havana and will take part in solidarity work. Three nights will be spent at the Hotel Vedado in Old Havana. Although aimed at young trade unionists, all are welcome!
• May Day Study Tour, 22 April – 3 May 2012, price starts at £1,415 – Cost includes flights, accommodation, transport and visas. Accommodation in Havana will be in the iconic Hotel Plaza.

For more information and to book, please follow the hyperlinks above or drop us an email.

Trade Unions for Cuba - Issue 2

The second issue of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s eNewsletter ‘Trade Unions for Cuba’ is now available online. The newsletter aims to celebrate collaboration between CSC, British trade unions and trade unions in Cuba. It brings up-to-date news on trade unionism in Cuba, reports on CSC’s work with unions domestically, mobilises campaigns and promotes events, brigades and tours.

The Winter 2011/12 edition features details of our new END IT NOW! campaign to mark the 50th anniversary of the United States’ blockade of Cuba next year. There is also information on how the British trade union movement is leading the fight in defence of the Miami 5 and how you can get involved with the campaign as part of the upcoming Beyond the Frame art exhibition.

It also includes a report on CSC’s presence at trade union conferences recently and information on two fantastic trips we’re taking to Cuba next Spring – the May Day Study tour and May Day Brigade.

The newsletter can be viewed here. Please feel free to forward to colleagues, share on social networking sites or print-off and distribute around notice boards and offices. If you would like to receive future copies, please email CSC Campaigns Officer Dan Smith.

Cuban Olympic legend laments the debilitating effects of US blockade

Cuban Olympic legend Alberto Juantorena talks exclusively to the Morning Star's Greg Leedham about his unrivalled track feat and what sport means for his blockaded country

Alberto Juantorena, the Cuban runner who stunned the world by winning gold in the 400m and 800m at the 1976 Olympics, talks about politics with the same bullishness with which he used to gallop around the track in his heyday.

"We cannot buy anything from the United States," he tells me, thumping his hand down on the table next to us as we chat in a dimly lit room at the HQ of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign in London.

The man known as El Caballo (The Horse) is referring to the 50-year-old US blockade of his homeland - a policy which permeates all activity on the island, including his day job as a parliamentarian and vice-president of the Cuban Sport Institute.

"For example, our pole-vaulters need poles, but the pole they use is produced in the United States. UCS Enterprise (who produce the poles) - we cannot buy from them."

Juantorena, now 61, proceeds to offer a detailed description of wheeling and dealing of which Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp would be proud.

"I call a friend of mine in Mexico, who was a former president of their federation. I say: 'Listen, Pedro, go to UCS, talk to them' - they are also friends of mine but I cannot trade with them directly.

"Pedro calls Jack (of UCS) and Jack sends the pole to Mexico. Pedro then takes the pole and brings it back to Guadalajara" for the 2011 Pan-American Games.

At this point, Juantorena exclaims at the ludicrousness of the situation he finds himself in on a daily basis. "My friend! What is this, my friend?"

His struggle to provide basic equipment for his country's athletes stands in stark contrast with the money Britain is able to throw at its own - £264 million worth of funding between 2009 and 2013.

Yet while time has eroded Juantorena's famous afro, his enthusiasm for the Cuban system remains, as does his belief that money is not the crucial factor in producing world-class sportsmen and women.

"Let me tell you something," Juantorena says, leaning towards me as if he is about to reveal a big secret.

"We practise sport in my country with a real lack of everything. Almost from nothing. Our infrastructure is not sophisticated. Our track and field stadium, our baseball stadium - they are not sophisticated.

"But we pay a lot of attention to physical education. It is compulsory in the schools - from primary schools through to university, and it produces athletes like a windmill." Juantorena makes a spiralling motion with his hands.

"And it never stops. Never stops, never stops. You know why? Because if you have mass participation, you have 2.5m students from primary school to university practising sport at least three times a week, and then you can sit down and qualify and see the talent, select the talent - it's easy! That's the secret of Cuban sport."

Critics argue that windmill has been malfunctioning a little of late. By their high standards, Cuba had a poor Olympics in Beijing in 2008, winning just two golds from 24 medals overall and finishing 28th in the final table.

Compare that with Athens in 2004 when Cuba won nine golds - the same number as Britain - and finished 11th overall.

Juantorena believes Beijing was merely a blip and, regardless, he says the point of Cuban sport is not medals but the overall well-being of the Cuban people.

"That's why we promote sport," he says. "Not to compete but to increase the life expectancy of people, to increase the health of the people first and as a consequence you can find the talent and you can find the medals."

It is a model driven by 78,000 physical education teachers, compared with, he says, 800 before Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

Such is the human investment in sport - thousands of staff working on low wages across the island - that Juantorena seems personally betrayed by those who reap the benefits of the Cuban system only to defect. How does he feel about a compatriot who is seduced by riches in the US or Europe?

"Stupid guy," he shrugs. "For me as an individual to become Olympic champion is impossible.

"I was born in Santiago de Cuba in very humble family in a very humble home, you know, and I feel sorry for them (defectors).

"Who made those athletes great stars? By themselves? From childhood they have schools, they have been supported by the municipal, by the state. The state pays everything to them.

"They think more with the pocket than with the heart - that is a fact. But let me tell you something - they are not many.

"The majority are in Cuba, fighting and leading."

One of those who had riches dangled in front of him but chose to stay in Cuba was boxer Teofilo Stevenson, who was reportedly offered as much as $5m to turn professional and fight Muhammad Ali but famously declined, saying the love of the Cuban people was more important to him.

"An example that real people don't sell their soul," Juantorena beams. "That was the guy to be."

Juantorena is as talkative an interviewee as you could ever meet, but my next question has him momentarily tongue-tied.

Would he ever accept a defector back into the Cuban team?

"He begins his response twice, breaking off mid-sentence on each occasion.

Silence briefly fills the room. After a few more seconds of reflection, he says: "In my personal opinion, I say no."

The lull provides an opportune moment to turn the conversation to his staggering feat of winning gold in the 400m and 800m gold in Montreal.

With athletes today tending to specialise in one event, his unique achievement of winning at sprint and middle distance is unlikely to be repeated.

Juantorena springs back to life at the mention of his career-defining moment.

"Nobody took into consideration the tall guy with the basketball socks," he grins. "Nobody cared about me and suddenly, boom, I kill everyone. That's a fact, that's a fact!"

Before Montreal, Juantorena specialised in the 400m until his Polish trainer Zygmunt Zabierzowski tricked him into running the 800m. He began training for the event - to help his endurance, he was told - and it was only two months before the Games that he realised Zabierzowski's plan.

"I say: 'No way, man, you crazy'," he recalls. "You know why? Because I was afraid. Because I know that the 800m was the first race. What happens if I get tired and nothing happen in 800 and nothing happen in 400?

"But he gave me the confidence, he proved to me that I can do it. And suddenly one time I was running for the first time in my life in May 1976.

"I ran 1'45.3". I say: "Caramba! I can do it!" And then psychologically I start to believe that really I can do it."

He blew away the field in the 800m final, breaking the world record in the process. Three days later, he added the 400m title. A legend was born then and it has continued to grow given that no-one has replicated his feat in the 35 years since.

Juantorena believes it is lack of ambition that could prevent someone today trumping him.

"Human beings have been proved in world history to do unbelievable things. You never know with a human being! Maybe they run 800m, 1,500m and 100m - you never know. It is difficult, but it is not impossible."

Injuries dogged Juantorena for the rest of his career, preventing him from adding to his Olympic tally, though he says his biggest regret is never winning a gold at the Pan-American Games.
His greatest challenge today is continuing to convince Cubans of the importance of sport.

He looks utterly bemused when I tell him of those on the British left who believe that sport is a distraction from more important struggles.

"Firstly, they are wrong," he says, chuckling. "The sport is a benefit for health. First to be a better citizen, to have better health. Second, sport is a good moment to socialise, to be together, to share things and to teach you to think collectively."

The Cuban programme for sport is certainly ambitious. Juantorena tells me of his country's efforts to develop cricket on the island, as well as football with the help of Fifa.

Yet his and Cuba's biggest battle remains with their superpower neighbour - a nation which, he tells me, has denied him a visa four times.

One day things will change, he believes, but only if the US approaches Cuba as equals.

"We don't need to make any move to them," Juantorena says, leaning forward in his chair and fixing me with a stern stare to emphasise his point.

"We don't need to ask them: 'Please change.' No, on the contrary they must approach us and sit down at the table, without any previous condition and we can talk about everything in life.

"Our president Raul (Castro) said to Barack Obama many times a message - let's sit down together at the table without any previous conditions. He never answered."

You sense that deep down Juantorena knows that change is unlikely to come soon.

He says Cuba will do better at London 2012 - just don't ask him to predict the number of medals they will win.

His patriotism is clear and he leaves me with a glowing endorsement of the Cuban system.

"You have many in Cuba fighting and working to improve the whole condition in every aspect in my country. I am one of them and I will die in Cuba. I will die there."