The Case of the Cuban Five: Honor and Injustice

They are five men of peace who came to this country from Cuba to combat violence and terror. The men were wrongfully arrested eight years ago, tried and eventually convicted in Miami for conspiracy to commit espionage and murder. A Miami Court meted out the maximum prison terms that the law allows: 1. Gerardo Hernandez received a double life sentence, 2. Antonio Guerrero was given a single life sentence, 3. Ramon Labañino a life sentence, 4. Fernando Gonzalez a 19 year sentence, and 5. René Gonzalez 15 years.

To understand their story and their trial, we must reflect on the last forty-seven years of terrorism that have been launched against the people of Cuba from the shores of South Florida with the knowledge and consent of the United States government.

The extremists in Miami have fought a dirty war against Cuba for over almost fifty years. With the aid and comfort of the United States, Cuban-immigrant terrorists specifically target innocent men, women and children of Cuba in a type of Miami-Jihad against Cuban Communism. They target Cuban airliners, ships, restaurants, hotels, places of business—all in an effort to take over the island and shape it in their own bloody image.

Cuba puts the number of its victims of terrorism at 3,478 killed and 2,099 wounded. The terrorists also caused significant property damage which, when added to the damage done to the Cuban economy by the United States blockade against the island, amount to losses in excess of $67 billion.

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