The U.S.
administration was forced to recognize
that we did
not endanger national security
•
Statement from Antonio, Ramón and
Fernando after the re-sentencing
hearings in Miami
MIAMI.— The re-sentencing proceedings for three
of the five Cuban anti-terrorists concluded
yesterday after a hearing in the Federal Court of
this southern Florida city. Ramón Labañino Salazar
was handed down a new prison term of 30 years and
Fernando González Llort was sentenced to 17 years
plus nine months.
Although the new sentences are still unjust, they
modify the former ones against Ramón (life plus 18
years) and Fernando (19 years) and are evidence of
the role played by international solidarity in
support of this cause and the untiring work of the
legal team.
Despite heavy discipline in the court, the
shackles… it was impossible to prevent Ramón and
Fernando from appearing with their heads held high,
their fists in the air, and smiles of encouragement
for friends, not only from the United States, who
came to show their support.
After the judge pronounced the verdict, a
statement in the names of Antonio, Ramón and
Fernando in which they confirm the political nature
of the trial, was presented to various media sources.
They drew attention to the situation of Gerardo
Hernández Nordelo, who is serving two life sentences
plus 15 years, and "who has been arbitrarily
excluded from these re-sentencing proceedings."
The document specifies that, as was the case at
the time of their arrest on September 12, 1998 and
on other occasions since then, "we have once again
received proposals to cooperate" in exchange for
being given lenient sentences but "we reject them as
something that we will never accept under any
circumstances," they affirm. They also noted that,
for the first time in 11 years, the U.S.
administration is being forced to acknowledge that "we
did not endanger their national security."
Antonio, Ramón and Fernando were transferred to
Miami for the re-sentencing hearings, in compliance
with a ruling from the Eleventh Circuit Court of
Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia, which determined that
the previous sentences had been erroneously imposed.
On October 13 in the same courtroom, Antonio
Guerrero Rodríguez’ sentence was reduced from life
plus 10 years, the sentence handed down in 2001, to
21 years and 10 months. Meanwhile, René González
Sehwerert is serving his sentence in a Florida
penitentiary.
After the hearing, the Alianza Martiana organized
a political reaffirmation event, in which members
called on President Obama to immediately release the
Five.
