No Justice on Cuban Five Re-Sentencing in Miami

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Cuban Five appeal to Supreme Court

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A federal judge in Miami has re-sentenced two of the Five Cuban Heroes who have stayed 11 years  behind bars in US Federal Prisons for fighting terrorist groups against Cuba.  Ramon Labañino's sentence was reduced to 30 years in prison while Fernando Gonzalez received 17 years and 9 months. (Ramon had unjustly received life plus 18 years initially. Fernando was given 19 years).

Judge Joan Lenard accepted a request for a reduction of the sentences presented by Ramon´s attorneys after considering that life imprisonment was in fact, “harsh”.

Incarcerated since 1998, the Cuban Five, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez and Ramon Labañino were presented before a Miami Court in November of 2000, for the first time, in a process politically biased and with no enough evidences.

In a statement after re-sentencing, Antonio, Fernando and Ramon considered that there is no justice at any level of the American legal system. "Our brother Gerardo Hernandez, who is serving two life terms plus 15 years, has been arbitrarily excluded from this re-sentencing process. His situation remains the principal injustice in our case. The US Government is well aware of the falseness of the accusations against him and the unfairness of his sentence", they said.

Just as it did at the arrest and at other occasions during these long years, the US Government proposed again that the Cuban Five collaborate to obtain more benevolent sentences. Once again, they have rejected and thanked the huge world solidarity on the case.

It is significant that the US Government, for the first time in 11 years, was obliged to recognize that the Five did not cause any damage to its national security. Also, for the first time, the prosecutor publicly recognized the existence of a strong international movement in support of their immediate freedom, a movement that affects the image of the US judicial system in the eyes of the international community.

Once again the absolute political character of this process is confirmed.

"We the Five are punished for accusations that never have been proved. Although three of our sentences were partially reduced, the injustice remains for all of us. The Cuban-American terrorists continue to enjoy total impunity.