Letter to US President Barack Obama regarding the Cuban Five |
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March 3, 2009 - 10:55 Human Rights / Letter President Barack Obama
Dear President Obama, On behalf of the 56,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, I am writing you about the ongoing unjust incarceration and punitive measures applied against the internationally known Cuban Five. We call for their immediate freedom so they can return to their homes and families. The Cuban Five, Rene González, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and Gerardo Hernández, were arrested in 1998 and accused of conspiracy and other charges. They were sentenced collectively to 4 life sentences plus 75 years. These men would not receive a fair trial. Recent history has shown that terrorist attacks have been planned and launched from the United States against the Cuban people for many years. There was no real effort by U.S. authorities to prevent this and much evidence that your security services aided and abetted these crimes. The crime of these Cuban Five men was to investigate and report planned terrorist attacks that were directed against the people of Cuba. At no time did these individuals seek or obtain military secrets. Their only goal was to protect their people from more death originating from south Florida. These men have been further punished. While there is no evidence they are anything but model prisoners, they have been held in solitary for long periods. Two of the five have been denied visits from their spouses. We see no value in this cruel punishment, no gain in security for the United States and serious damage to your credibility as a nation founded on law. We believe this ongoing injustice cries out for resolution. You have an opportunity to send a strong message that the United States will pursue a different type of foreign policy, by immediately freeing these five Cuban men. CUPW is also asking you to take concrete steps to ensure that your country will not be used as a haven to plan terrorist attacks against other nations as have been occurring in Cuba over several decades. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers calls on you to act immediately to end this travesty. In the interim, Olga Salanueva and Adriana Peréz must be permitted visit with their spouses. More importantly, immediate steps must be taken to ensure the Cuban Five go free and this dark chapter in U.S. history be closed permanently. Sincerely, Denis Lemelin
cc: CLC Executive Council
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