[NYTr] Cuban Five Nominated for Venezuela's Highest Distinction

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles


Cuban Five Nominated for Venezuela's Highest Distinction

Havana, August 27 (acn) Venezuelan youth organizations have requested 
the Orden Libertador, the highest distinction bestowed by the 
Venezuelan government, be awarded to the five Cuban antiterrorist 
fighters unjustly held in US prisons for nearly 9 years.

During her speech at the closing ceremony of an event commemorating the 
60 anniversary of the creation of the World Festival of Youth and 
Students, Irma Gonzalez Salanueva --daughter of Rene Gonzalez, one of 
the Five-- thanked the youngsters from all the continents gathered in 
Caracas, Venezuela, for their support for the cause of the Cuban Five.

Irma Gonzalez also condemned imperialism and its flagrant violation of 
the humanity's basic principles, reports Juventud Rebelde newsper.

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero 
and Rene Gonzalez, known worldwide as 'the Cuban Five', were detained 
in 1998 for having infiltrated right-wing anti-Cuba organizations based 
in Florida which have organized numerous terrorist actions against the 
island over the last 45 years.

The Five were charged with espionage and punished with extremely harsh 
sentences in a biased trial despite the antiterrorist nature of their 
activities.

The meeting, which was organized by the World Federation of Democratic 
Youth, brought together about one thousand youngsters from 75 
organizations around the world, including a large number of Cuban 
delegates.