[Pnews] The Cuban 5 - No Visits until Further Notice

[Prisoner News]

On Tuesday, December 31, 2013 2:25 PM,

*No Visits until Further Notice *
Posted in Spanish on December 28, 2013 
<http://www.thecuban5.org/wordpress/2013/12/28/no-visits-allowed-until-further-notice/> 
by ICFC5 <http://www.thecuban5.org/wordpress/author/alicia/>

Letter to the families of the Cuban Five

By Alicia Jrapko, the International Committee for the Freedom of the 
Cuban Five

On Saturday December 21, Bill Hackwell and I drove 700 kilometers down 
the rich Central Valley of California, then over a road through a 
mountain pass that took us to the high Mojave Desert decorated with the 
distinctive Joshua trees with a view of mountain ranges, some visibly 
covered in snowfall, backed by an intense blue sky pink sky coinciding 
with sunset

We always take this endless trip to visit our friend Gerardo Hernandez, 
with each trip we hope it will be our last because that would mean that 
had returned back to his homeland to be with Adriana, his friends and 
all his loved ones. But as long as he remains  in prison, each kilometer 
of these trips are worthwhile because they lead us to him.

Today on arrival at the prison we found a sign that said “There will be 
no visits until further notice.” We were not the only ones to share the 
surprise and disappointment of this note. A number of families there 
came from all over to visit their loved ones; mothers, wives, children, 
parents who came to share this day close to Christmas with their family 
member in prisoner.We were touched by a woman , with tears in her eyes, 
who said: ” I ​​cannot believe it … I’ve traveled all the way from New 
Jersey to visit and I have to go back without seeing him.” We figured 
out everything this woman had to go through to get there; a six-hour 
flight from one end to the other end of the country, spending a night in 
a hotel, and figuring out transportation to this isolated place only to 
meet a cold poster pasted on the entrance to the prison: “There will be 
no visits until further notice ”

The first thing that came to mind was Gerardo, who continues to resist 
with all kinds of stoicism, facing invincible tests over his fifteen 
years of unjust imprisonment and his example inspires us. But we also 
thought about the lack of compassion of this system that collectively 
punishes all prisoners for the indiscipline or breach of any individual. 
Never taking into account, in the slightest, the sadness of these 
families who are now struggling to understand why they could not embrace 
their loved one behind bars.

A few miles away the frenzy of large retail chains in the race to 
increase profits during the holiday season (promoted by media hype night 
and day), and people buying and spending beyond their means was taking 
place. This contrasted so greatly to the scene that unfolded in the 
parking lot of the Victorville Penitentiary this morning. Isn’t 
Christmas supposed to be some kind of holiday of happiness?

Years have passed for all of us. It has more than 11 years since Bill 
and I began visiting Gerardo and while it has been a great honor and 
privilege for us and we never forget that there are millions of Cubans 
and thousands of caring friends who would like to have this privilege. 
We will not deny the feeling of sadness that came over us today after 
the missed visit. What are you going to say to the families of the five 
who over the years have had to go through all kinds of extreme 
difficulties and unjust experiences? Our experience today helps us 
appreciate and love them more.

As always happens to us after each visit, and even without being able to 
see Gerardo, we returned more convinced than ever of the need for more 
forces to continue fighting for the return of the Five to Cuba.

The struggle continues!

URL del artículo en Espanol : 
http://www.cubadebate.cu/opinion/2013/12/27/no-habra-visita-hasta-nuevo-aviso/ 
<http://www.thecuban5.org/wordpress/2013/12/28/no-visits-allowed-until-further-notice/%20http:/www.cubadebate.cu/opinion/2013/12/27/no-habra-visita-hasta-nuevo-aviso/>
-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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