• CUBAN anti-terrorist fighter René González Sehwerert was released from Marianna Penitentiary in the north of Florida, United States this past October 7 after serving 13 long years of unjust incarceration.

Since his imprisonment in September 1998, René González Sehwerert, together with his compañeros Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez and Fernando González Llort have been forced to endure cruel and degrading conditions and all kinds of pressure and abuse, including separation from their families. All the hatred to which they have been exposed has not broken their convictions and, with exceptional stoicism and admirable integrity they have always maintained exemplary conduct as prisoners.

This dignified and courageous attitude of our five compañeros, who have never renounce their principles under any circumstance, combined with motivations of political revenge which characterized the legal proceedings which led to their sentencing, was what prompted Judge Joan Lenard to impose an additional punishment on René, by refusing last September 16 a motion to allow him to return to Cuba and the heart of his family and people upon his release.
The judge’s decision to uphold the special and additional requisite of prohibiting him, after leaving prison, "from associating with or visiting specific places where individuals or groups such as terrorists… are known to frequent," included in his sentence at the express petition of the U.S. government, is irrefutable evidence that anti-Cuban terrorists continue to enjoy total impunity and the support of American authorities.

For more than 50 years successive administrations in this country have protected terrorism against Cuba and harbored terrorist individuals and organizations in that same territory. Persons responsible for so much pain and death are living a completely normal life there, with priority access to the media and with total impunity to organize and promote terrorism against our country. The very recognition of this reality on the part of the judge and the government ratifies the "state of necessity" which obliged the infiltration of terrorist groups and demonstrates that the severe sanctions of the Five are directed at protecting the real terrorists who, like Luis Posada Carriles, are enjoying a problem-free life in Florida.

There is no doubt that the United States government is perfectly well aware that the fact that René has to reside in that country’s territory constitutes a serious threat to his life and physical integrity. The U.S. authorities will be responsible for anything that might happen to him.

The cause of the Five is becoming more and more known throughout the world. Thousands of men and women from all latitudes and social strata have joined the struggle for their liberation, including many parliamentarians and legislative bodies. In the name of the Five and their families, likewise victims of so much injustice, we thank every one of you for your support in attaining their freedom.
However, it has not been, and is not an easy road, given that opposing it are revanchism, hatred and the obstinacy that have always predominated in the United States in relation to Cuba for not having been able to break our people. Also opposing us is the ironclad censorship around this case in the media, which has only referred to this injustice on a very few occasions.

We firmly believe that solidarity can achieve everything and that just causes must triumph over lies and injustice. For that reason, we call on all parliaments and members of these, on political and social forces and groups committed to the truth and justice, on all upstanding men and women on the planet, to exert all their influence so that President Obama does what he has to do: permit the immediate return of René to the heart of his family and to release his four compañeros in struggle and captivity.

Let us make it possible, among all of us, to see that justice is done.