The South African Anglican priest Michael Lapsley, confirmed Tuesday that made his ninth visit to the Cuban anti-terrorist hero and Gerardo Hernandez, held in prison Victorville California, United States.
Gerardo has been jailed for 16 years and is serving two life sentences.
Despite the long, hard and locked up with individuals who committed heinous crimes lonely years, looked very well and in good humor, remarked Lapsley.
Lapsley said Hernández Nordelo remains strong thanks to the knowledge that his wife Adriana, his family and the entire Cuban nation are united in the fight for their freedom, along with his fellow heroes, Antonio Guerrero and Ramón Labañino.
Gerardo is also encouraged by the steady stream of cards with expressions of solidarity that come from all over the world, sometimes in a number of 80 daily, told Prensa Latina fellow activist for social justice and anti-apartheid exluchador.
I was in Cuba two weeks ago, so there was much to talk about. We spent three hours talking. I had the opportunity to tell Gary to the question of the freedom of the Five is the largest source of unity in Cuba today, Lapsley said.
Internationally known as the Cuban Five, Gerardo, Ramón, Antonio, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez were arrested in 1998 and in a biased trial in Miami, Florida, sentenced to long terms involving verdicts and life sentences of 19 and 15 years.
Fernando González and René González already served their sentences and returned to Cuba with his family.
International figures, civil associations and government delegates have backed the Five and remember that only controlled the activity of extremist groups trying to anticipate their actions and gathering evidence about possible attacks against the island.
Gerardo I reaffirmed that there is a global consensus in favor of the release of the remaining anti-terrorist Cuban Five group, equivalent to the universal demand that in his time he was in favor of Nelson Mandela, said Father Michael.
"Gary and I talked about everything under the sun: the Cuba of today, South Africa today, our families and the challenges facing the human family. We agreed that none of us have regrets about the big decisions we make in life, "said the clergyman.
We agree that the release of the five will be implemented as political pressure increases from all latitudes on the administration of President Barack Obama, scored Lapsley.
In my farewell, I wanted Gary to soon be next to his beloved Adriana on the Malecon in Havana, it emphasized the Father Michael Lapsley, also Vice President of the South African Council of Churches.
Alan Michael Lapsley is a South African citizen, born in New Zealand and was ordained priest in Australia, where he joined the religious order Society of the Sacred Mission.
In 1990, he lived in exile in Zimbabwe, received a letter bomb sent by the political police of the apartheid and lost both hands and the sight in one eye due to the explosion.
On his return to South Africa in 1992, Lapsley helped start the Friends of Cuba Association. He has been awarded the Friendship Medal by the Council of State of Cuba, among other distinctions.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario