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FreeThe5-Gerardo

Message from 2006-09-26 - radio Habana Cuba - september 25

Message from Gerardo Hernandez

Dear compañeros y compañeras,

Eight years ago the Five were arrested. When I remember back on what happened that September 12 the first thing that comes to my mind are the words of the FBI agent, who in the middle of his efforts to try to turn us into traitors, said: "Cuba will do nothing for you. Nobody will do anything for you"

How far off were he and his fellow officials to imagine what has developed over these years in the struggle to free the Five (to be honest, not even we, the Five, could have imagined!) I really wish that now I could see his face again and show him the message that Fidel sent us recently, or mention to him the words from Alarcon about us in every event that he participates, or about the denunciation of our imprisonment by Cuban officials at all levels and the pleas from members of our own families in the most important international forums raising our case.

I would not have enough time to tell him about all the examples of support and affection that comes to us from the Cuban people, and from all our compañeros from all over the world. Perhaps he knows about the great number of letters that we receive every day, but I would tell him about Andy Daniel, a Cuban child that was born with his little hands deformed and that at his 6 years of age, writes and makes drawings for the Five. Or of the woman in that remote place in the mountains of France, that for years now sends letters to the Five every week. (She even received a response from the Pope's office, but not from Alberto Gonzales' office…) Or from the very old couple from London who sells flowers from their garden to raise funds for our cause, just as many other friends around the world have done, with similar sacrifice. These are just a tiny few examples of the love and solidarity that we receive from around the world

I am certain that that FBI agent has heard about the people in Miami who, despite the challenge of overcoming the terror imposed by the Cuban American Mafia in that city, have not stopped demonstrating in favor of our liberation. I would tell him about the hundreds of solidarity committees created around the whole world, about the protests in front of U.S. consulates and embassies, or about the compañero from Philadelphia, that despite his health problems has been able, due to his insistence, to publish his letters about the Five in several newspapers.

I am sure that I would still have many things to mention to him, but I would for certain tell him about the thousands of friends in the United States that, despite the pressure and intimidation of this administration against the progressive movements and those sectors that struggle for civil rights, that they are not afraid. I would point to those who will take their voices of protest for our freedom to the front door of the White House. I will tell him about all of you that are participating in the solidarity events on our behalf that has gave us so much encouragement.

Without any doubt, on September 12th 1998 that FBI agent was wrong. He was wrong just like the prosecutors in our trial and all the others who lied about our mission and that underestimated you and us.

Sisters and brothers: some people may say that our struggle has not been effective because the Five are still in prison, or that we are in a very bad moment because we lost an important point in our appeals. Nothing could be further from the truth. We never thought that this battle for justice was going to be easy, or short. We believe-on the contrary-that the current moment is good, and because of that we should re double our efforts. A year ago we were complaining about the strong wall of silence imposed over our case by the corporate media. In recent months that wall has been opened little by little and nobody should think that it is due to some spontaneous interest coming from the media about the Five. We owe this shift to the work that all of you have been doing and to the solidarity efforts of each one of you from all over the world.

On a recent occasion a dear compañera made an observation to us that in all the messages from the Five we always repeat the words "gratitude", "appreciation", "thanks". and suggested that it wasn't necessary. Because I knew she was right about that I borrowed a dictionary with synonyms to find other words, but it was in vain. We do not have any other way to express how we feel about your support. We are immensely honored and proud for the solidarity of all of you, and we express our most profound THANKS for everything you do for us.

Hasta la Victoria Siempre!

With the revolutionary embrace of the Five

Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo
U.S.P. Victorville
California, September 2006

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