letter to President Obama

President Barak Obama,
The White House,
1600, Pennsylvania Avenue N. W.,
Washington D.C. 20500

1st October 2009

Dear Mister President Obama,

October is here, and the five Cubans Gerardo Hernandez, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labañino and René Gonzalez are still imprisoned in your country.

Following their arrest on 12th September 1998, they were placed in isolated “holes” during 17 months in the Miami’s prison, in such totally inhumane conditions.
Once the trial was over, the Five have been placed in jails that were very remote from each others. Since then, either their families or closed friends could scarcely visit them as visas were not easily delivered.

Gerardo and René’s spouses, are still been refused visas to visit their husbands, since more than ten years!

However United-States do delivered visas since absolutely no problem, even recently.

While the Five were experimenting nightmares in their “holes” in Miami, even if they had worked to avoid terrorist complots against their country, there was a strange situation prior to 9/11 in the United-States regarding visas!

Al Qaida’s air pirates, who become known on the disastrous 9/11 : Zacharias Moussaoui, Mohammed Atta, Khalid Sheik, Mohammed Nawaf al-Hazmi, Kalid Al- midhar, Hani Hanjour, Ziad Samir Jarrah as well a dozen more of people, had absolutely no difficulty to obtain visas. They travel in and out Unites-States, without any suspicion by the airports authorities. Those men were known by both the FBI and the CIA who knew that a major terrorist act was planned. Those men obtained their visas from the American consulate in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and the CIA was running this consulate!!! According to Michael Springmann, prior chief of this office, only he and two others were not linked with the intelligence services of your country.

When we know such sad story, we learn that Adriana, Gerardo’s spouse was refused her visa for the tenth time by immigration workers because: “She represents a menace for the stability and the national security of the United-States”, this is really ridiculous. This ridiculous does not amuse us, as it is now eleven years that those two people who love each other could not even share one single visit in the parlor.

This situation is similar for Olga, René’s wife: René and his two daughters are also sadly punished. Since his imprisonment, his family never could be reunited even once!

Additionally to this torture of visas refused to Adriana’s husband, Gerardo has mentioned that letters addressed to him, sometimes take months prior to be delivered to him, even from California!

Maintaining the Five Cubans in prison is a total revolting injustice and we feel so indignant about this.

Dividing to reign, it is not a novelty, the sentences of three of them have to be revised “lower” the 13 of October. The Five have to go out of the jails, and immediately!

We know Mister President that you have the power to end this terrible situation which has lasted too long. By offering the grace to those men who have proven courage and dignity, by releasing them you will prove humanity and justice. Your country will appear so wonderful. Such a hope is endorsed in the whole world by the numerous organizations and friends of the Five Cubans.

Such a gesture would certainly become an encouragement to initiate new relations between Cuba and United-States, which would be beneficial for both countries. We are confident of your willingness.

Hoping that we shall be heard, we are sending to you our most sincere sentiments.

(traduction: Martine Vaugien)

Jacqueline ROUSSIE
64360 Monein (France)

C.C.: Mrs. Michelle Obama, Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Mr. Harry Reid.