[NYTr] Chavez Demands Freedom for the Cuban 5

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

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


Chavez Demands Freedom For Cuban Five

Havana, Oct 14 (acn) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias, speaking 
on Sunday from the central Cuban province of Villa Clara, demanded 
freedom for five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters unjustly held in US 
prisons for over nine years.

 From the Che Guevara Memorial in the city of Santa Clara, Chavez upon 
the large audience to fight against injustices committed against the 
five.

The Cuban Five --Antonio Guerrero, René Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez and 
Ramón Labañino-- were detained in 1998 for trying to prevent 
anti-terrorist actions against the island organized by right-wing 
anti-Cuba organizations based in Florida. The men were charged with 
espionage and punished with extremely harsh sentences for crimes they 
never committed.

Amid the collective acclaim of thousands of Cuban and Venezuelans 
gathered in Che Guevara Square, Chavez greeted the relatives of the 
Five and described the anti-terrorist fighters as "heroes of Cuba and 
Latin America."

During his radio and TV show "Alo Presidente", which this week is 
dedicated to legendary guerrilla fighter Ernesto Che Guevara, Chavez 
also blasted Washington's open protection of self-confessed terrorist 
Posada Carriles and demanded his extradition to Venezuela.

agh/pr