The Miami Five - ten years on
Joint union campaign for them and their
families
Overview
Unite is backing the campaign to bring visiting rights
to the families of the Miami Five who have been imprisoned for ten
years in the United States for attempting to protect their homeland
from terrorist attacks.
October 2009 update: A US judge scrapped the
life sentence of Cuban anti-terror agent Antonio Guerrero this
month, but resentenced him to 21 years plus 10 months in jail, two
years more than was agreed by the defence and prosecution teams at
his resentencing hearing. Mr Guerrero will walk free in about seven
years, counting time served since his 1998 arrest and time off for
good behaviour. The international campaign to free the Miami 5,
supported by Unite, continues to demand the freedom of the Miami 5
and calls for a minimum of visiting rights to the families of the
Miami Five who have been imprisoned for more than decade.
June 2009 update: Unite's film on the Miami
5 was submitted to the Irish Film Institute Stranger than Fiction
Documentary Film Festival that took place from the 18th - 21st June
in Dublin.
“The Miami Five are Cuban trade unionists arrested by the FBI in
1998 while trying to gather information on right-wing paramilitary
groups working out of Miami responsible for terrorist attacks
against the Cuban people.
"Nearly 3,500 Cubans have died since 1959, all victims of
terrorism, including 73 people killed when a Cuban airline was
blown up mid-air in 1976 – the world’s first terrorist attack on an
airline. Acts aimed at destabilising the island’s economy and
tourist industry.
"In response to these acts of terrorism, Cuba sent five men to
work undercover in Miami, where most of the attacks originated.
Their mission was to infiltrate the right-wing groups responsible
and to find out about the attacks before they happened. Throughout
this time the Cuban government pressed the US to take action to
curb the terrorists, who were widely acknowledged to be funded and
assisted by the CIA and other American agencies.
"It was after the FBI asked Cuba for details of planned
terrorist attacks – exposed by the Miami Five – that the Cuban
anti-terrorists were arrested in Miami, where they had uncovered
details of the terrorists’ plans. The FBI took no action against
those planning further attacks on Cuba.
"The Five were eventually convicted in 2001 by a court in Miami
– where the Cuban exile community wields enormous political power –
on a range of charges including being foreign agents and conspiracy
to commit murder.
"But as well as the injustices surrounding this very political
case, the five have been subjected to further inhuman treatment
which has been condemned by human rights organisations around the
world. They each spent their first 17 months in solitary
confinement and have had their family visiting rights routinely
restricted.
"Unite is leading a campaign by UK trade unions to ensure that
family members are allowed to visit their loved ones and to bring
justice to the five.
"Two of the wives, Olga Gonzales and Adriana Hernandez have not
seen their husbands for eight years. Unite believes the US are
using these five men and their families to make a political point.
The Miami Five were acting to defend their country and have paid an
enormous price. They are locked up in prison thousands of miles
away from their children and wives. Unite is committed to building
the broadest possible public support to gain family visitation
rights and is seeking, ultimately, the release of the Miami
five.”
Tony Woodley
Unite Joint General Secretary
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