Viewing from October 2009

UN vote condemns US blockade 187-3

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 28 October 2009

by Paul Haven for Associated PressThe U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly condemned the 47-year U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, an annual ritual that serves to highlight global opposition to America's hard-line policy toward the communist island, but which has done little to change Washington's stance, even with a new ... read more

End to the blockade

Campaign News | Wednesday, 28 October 2009

from the Morning StarRob Miller, CSC Director writes in the Morning Star in advance of the UN vote on the blockade.This week the United Nations is set to vote massively against the US blockade of Cuba for the 18th time.Is Barack Obama about to listen? Or will the US continue ... read more

EMERGENCY PROTEST FOR HONDURAS AT THE US EMBASSY!

Campaign News | Tuesday, 27 October 2009

End all US economic, political and military support to the dictatorship in Honduras now!Defend human rights in Honduras!No election without the restitution of Zelaya!Wednesday November 4, 5.30-7.30pmUS Embassy, 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1A.In a statement, Mr Zelaya urged Western Hemisphere countries to step up economic sanctions "against the de ... read more

New date for sentencing hearings for two of Miami 5

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 27 October 2009

Fernando and Ramón Labañino to be resentenced in DecemberToday the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida announced the new date of the Sentencing hearings for Fernando González and Ramón Labañino. The hearings shall take place on 8 December 2009.In 2008 the Atlanta Court of Appeals annulled the ... read more

UN to vote against blockade for 18th year

News from Cuba | Monday, 26 October 2009

On Wednesday 28 October the United Nations General Assembly is expected to vote on a resolution condemning the United States blocakde of Cuba.It is likely to be passed overwhelmingly, as it has been for the last seventeen years.In 2008, the vote was 185 for and 3 against, with only the ... read more

US 'sends message' to Cuba

News from Cuba | Monday, 26 October 2009

Barack Obama has sent a message through the Spanish government urging Cuba to undertake reforms and improve its human rights as a possible path to better relations with the US, a White House official has told Al Jazeera confirming reports in Spanish media.The move by the US president comes as ... read more

Renowned anti-Cuban terrorist freed in the US

News from Cuba | Monday, 26 October 2009

Renowned anti-Cuba terrorist Santiago Alvarez Fernandez-Magriña was released on Wednesday from an Immigration prison in the US state of Georgia, where he was serving a sentence for stockpiling weapons and obstruction of justice.With a long terrorist record against Cuba, Alvarez Fernandez-Magriña is one of the closest collaborators of self-confessed criminal ... read more

URGENT ACTION - CONTACT YOUR MP TODAY

Campaign News | Monday, 26 October 2009

Early Day Motion 1171 closes in two daysThere are just two days left to get your MP to sign EDM 1171 on Cuba.The EDM has been signed by 240 MPs, but there is still time to get more before it closes on Thursday.Email or call your MP on 0207 219 ... read more

Sean Penn heads to Cuba to interview Fidel Castro

News from Cuba | Sunday, 25 October 2009

Oscar-winning actor and political activist Sean Penn flew to Cuba hoping to interview its revolutionary icon Fidel Castro, entertainment news website TMZ reported Sunday."Sean (Penn) is going to the land of Fidel as a journalist, writing a story for Vanity Fair (magazine) about how the (Barack) Obama administration has affected ... read more

Learn from Cuba says New Orleans mayor

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 21 October 2009

By Tom Mellen for the Morning StarVisiting New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin praised Cuba's disaster response system on Tuesday, acknowledging that the islands's socialist authorities "do a much better job than we do."Mr Nagin, who arrived in Cuba last Friday along with 15 officials from police, fire and port agencies, ... read more

Cuba could send 1M cases of rum to post-embargo US

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 21 October 2009

By Will Weissert for the Associated PressCuba is ready to ship 1 million cases of rum to America if Washington eases its 47-year-old embargo, but would hold off exporting its flagship Havana Club brand because of US trademark battles, one of the island's top rum executives said Wednesday.US trade sanctions ... read more

All Americans should be allowed travel to Cuba, says new poll

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 21 October 2009

BY JUAN O. TAMAYO for the Miami HeraldA new poll of Cuban Americans shows a strong majority favor allowing all Americans to travel to the island, a major shift from a 2002 survey that showed only a minority supporting the change, the Bendixen & Associates polling firm reported Tuesday.Executive Vice ... read more

New sentence for Miami Five prisoner Antonio Guerrero

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Report from the Cuban News AgengyHAVANA, Cuba, Oct 13 (acn) A US judge today resentenced Antonio Guerrero, one of the five Cuban antiterrorist unjustly incarcerated in the United States, to 21 years plus 10 month in jail, two more years than what was agreed by the defense and the prosecution ... read more

Resentencings in U.S. Reignite Passions Over the 'Cuban Five'

News from Cuba | Monday, 12 October 2009

Report by William Booth for the Washington PostHAVANA -- Throughout the Cuban countryside are hand-painted murals featuring the famous faces of the revolution, Che and Fidel, of course, but also René, Antonio, Fernando, Gerardo and Ramón -- known here as "Los Cinco," the Cuban Five, no last names necessary.The men ... read more

Resentencing hearing for two of the Miami Five

News from Cuba | Saturday, 10 October 2009

At the request of the Cuban Five defense team, Miami Federal Court Judge Joan Lenard has issued an order on Friday postponing the resentencing hearing for Fernando Gonzalez and Ramon Labanino, two of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly imprisoned in the US for more than a decade.The Cuban Five ... read more

COSATU passes motion on Cuba

News from Cuba | Saturday, 10 October 2009

Confederation of South African Trade Unions pass motion in support of Cuba and the Miami Five at national conferenceA Resolution on Cuba passed in the 10th COSATU Conference, South Africa, September 21st - 24th, 2009.4.61.5. CUBA: NEHAWU, NUMSA, SADTU, CEPPWAWUNoting that:a) This year marks the 50th anniversary of the triumph ... read more

CIA records: Cuban exile informed on colleagues

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 7 October 2009

By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ (AP)Recently released CIA files from the mid-1960s show Cuban exile and accused terrorist Luis Posada Carriles informed on violent Miami-based efforts to attack Fidel Castro's fledgling Cuban government even as he was deeply involved in helping them.In the files, the CIA also appeared confident that Posada was ... read more

Let the music play, senator says of canceled trip

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 6 October 2009

By JIM ABRAMS (AP)WASHINGTON - U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba that led to the New York Philharmonic calling off a trip to the communist country are outrageous and should be ended, a senator who has long called for lifting trade and travel restraints said Monday."This is almost unbelievable what ... read more

400 call for justice for the Cuban Five and their families at US Embassy Vigil

Campaign News | Sunday, 4 October 2009

Photos by Alejandro GortazarAdriana Perez, Olga Salanueva and Irma González, wives and daughter of the Miami 5, Gerardo Hernández and René González, were special guests at the UK Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s annual candlelit vigil outside the US embassy in London, UK on Thursday.Olga Salanueva said "I would like to give ... read more

Labour Party Conference report

Campaign News | Saturday, 3 October 2009

Labour Party Conference 2009‘The Cuba Solidarity Campaign has worked tirelessly’ proclaimed Derek Simpson, Joint General Secretary of Unite to a packed CSC fringe meeting during Labour Party Conference in September. With family members of the Miami Five on the platform Derek told the meeting ‘this is all our campaigns to ... read more