[Ppnews] Cuba's Alarcon - 40th Anniv Young Lords - Support the Cuban Five, Puerto Rican PPs

[Political Prisoner News]

Head of Cuban Parliament Asks US Progressive 
People to Support Cause of the Cuban Five
http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2009/0826presidente_parlamento.htm

HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 26 (acn) Cuban Parliament 
President Ricardo Alarcon sent a message asking 
for support of the Cuba Five’s cause that was 
read out in a meeting marking the 40th 
anniversary of the Young Lords, a revolutionary 
group organized in New York to demand social progress.

Cuban News Agency

The CubaDebate website reported that the ceremony 
was held in the First Hispanic Methodist church 
in the so-called city of skyscrapers, with the 
participation of former members of the movement 
and of the members of the US Congress Nydia 
Velazquez and José Serrano, and state deputy Jose Rivera.

In his letter, Alarcon notes that back then (when 
the organization emerged) it was neither easy to 
stand for the Cuban Revolution nor to demand the 
independence of Puerto Rico or the release of 
five nationalist fighters from that country.

“I'm asking you to support a demand for the 
release of Oscar Lopez Rivera, Carlos Alberto 
Torres and Avelino González Claudio, the Puerto 
Rican patriots,” wrote Alarcon and added “They 
deserve to be free as much as Gerardo Hernandez, 
Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando 
González and Rene Gonzalez, the five Cuban 
revolutionaries that have been unfairly punished in the US.”

“Let’s organize a strong and powerful movement 
for the freedom of the Cuban Five and the Puerto 
Rican patriots, with the energy and passion that 
the Young Lords passed to us,” reads the message.

**********************************************
Complete Message

Brothers and sisters,

Hermanas y hermanos

I wish I could be there physically commemorating 
the 40th anniversary of the Young Lords. Being 
that impossible allow me to convey to all of you 
my thoughts which is the only way for me to be 
there joining you in this celebration with my heart and soul.

With the birth of the Young Lords the Sixties, 
that beautiful revolt of a new generation seeking 
a heaven of love, peace and solidarity on Earth, 
enter the Latino community in the United States. 
They were really young, some in their teens, but 
they showed the way to many others with 
passionate love for their homeland and their 
community, with their generous dedication to the 
struggle that took the lives of some who will live forever in our gratitude.

They are part of my personal history and I always 
owe a lot to the Lords. In those days I also was 
a young, the youngest Ambassador to the United 
Nations. Representing Cuba, almost completely 
isolated in those days, was a real challenge to 
me, my wife, my daughter and mother-in-law. We 
faced a lot of hostility, we felt harassed and 
discriminated in our daily lives in Manhattan. 
They – you know who they are – forced us to feel 
as Puerto Ricans. And we are thankful for that. 
We are proud to be boricuas from New York.

Defending the Cuban Revolution was not easy there 
in those days. As it was not easy to demand the 
independence of Puerto Rico and the liberation of 
Oscar Collazo, Lolita Lebrón, Andrés Figueroa 
Cordero, Irving Flores and Rafael Cancel Miranda, 
the five Puerto Rican nationalist heroes whose 
freedom we were able to win with our sustained efforts.

May I call upon you to rise in solidarity 
demanding the release of Oscar López Rivera, 
Carlos Alberto Torres and Avelino González 
Claudio, Puerto Rican patriots, who deserve to be 
free as Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, Ramón Labañino 
Salazar, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez, Fernando 
González Llort and René González Sehwerert, the 
Five Cubans being unjustly punished there for 
fighting US sponsored terrorism against Cuba. 
Let’s build a strong and powerful movement for 
the freedom of the Cuban Five and the Puerto 
Rican patriots with the vigor and the passion that the Young Lords taught us.

Latin America and the Caribbean have entered a 
new epoch in their history in which Cuba is not 
alone any more. This is the result of many 
sacrifices of our peoples who fought generation 
after generation for freedom, independence and justice.

That epoch should bring for Puerto Rico the 
realization of its sacred right to self-determination and independence.

We will be always united. It was José Marti who 
anticipated the common destiny of the Antilles 
“the sister islands that will succumb together or together will be saved”.

Long live the Young Lords.

¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!
Hasta la Victoria Siempre.

Ricardo Alarcon
President of the Cuban Parliament





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