Cuba was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and subsequently became a Spanish colony. Over time, the island’s indigenous population was nearly wiped out. Little changed until the mid-19th century—Cuba remained a suffering land.
Since the victory over the Batista dictatorship in January 1959, Cubans have had to withstand attacks by terrorist organizations of Miami-based exiles, along with diplomatic, media, and economic warfare accompanied by terror and sabotage actions that have claimed the lives of 3,478 Cubans. Unfortunately, U.S. President G.W. Bush chose not to negotiate to avert terror against Cuba; instead, he labeled Cuba a rogue state that threatened U.S. security and supported international terrorism—a position he now acknowledges as a misjudgment.
To detect and prevent terrorist actions against Cuba, five Cuban patriots infiltrated the relentless terror plots of the exile groups, collecting extensive evidence of planned attacks. They handed the evidence to the FBI, helping to prevent at least 170 attacks on Cuban institutions and individuals. Nevertheless, the five were sentenced to life in prison for espionage, and doubts about the fairness of the trial have repeatedly been voiced, even by U.S. Senators.
DMW chairman Günther Meinel pledged support to the wives of the five imprisoned Cubans in their fight for human rights. Members of the German Bundestag, the EU Parliament, senior politicians worldwide, prominent artists, and renowned attorneys such as Leonard Weinglass are protesting this injustice and calling for a retrial.
All major human rights organizations have urged U.S. President Obama to act for justice and human rights. DMW was asked to leverage its network for the Cubans’ cause, and it has answered the call. The DMW chairman assured the wives of the imprisoned men of his full support in gaining recognition of their rights.
DMW International | News
2011