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The Cuban Five

Cuban Hero Thanks Brazilians for his Freedom

Cuban Hero Thanks Brazilians for his Freedom

Submitted by editor on Tue, 06/09/2015 – 00:00

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BRAZIL, June 9th, 2015. Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, one of the five Cuban antiterrorists who suffered imprisonment in the United States, thanked here today the solidarity of Brazilian activists who fought for his freedom and that of his other four fellow countrymen.
If it were not for all of you who struggled in an intense campaign for the excarceration of The Five and called the attention of parliaments, presidents and even the United States society, we would still be in prison, affirmed Hernandez the eve in an act with members of political groups and friends of Cuba.
After welcoming the presence of ambassadors of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Countries of Our America (ALBA), he said that several presidents, among them that of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, who defended his excarceration and that of Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez, Ramon Labañino and Rene Gonzalez.
He remembered the resistance of all of them, during 16 years of detainment, in favor of their liberation from prison was inspired in the Cubans´ integrity and the battle of solidarity movements in many countries. even in the United States, undertaken in favor of their excarceration.
We today live an indescribable happiness and great emotions due to the hospitality received from the people of Venezuela and Brazil, he affirmed when pointing that some of his companions had visited other nations, where they were equally warmly received.
When referring to the concluded 22nd Brazilian Convention of Solidarity with Cuba, held in Recife, he said he had felt great emotion when he embraced those who for years participated in actions demanding the freedom of the Five.
We know we can count on you to continue this struggle for the end of the economic, financial, commercial blockade of the United States on Cuba and for the closing and return of the occupied territory of Guantanamo, he added.
The Hero of the Republic of Cuba also stressed that new times are coming for his country, according to the process of negotiations with the government of the United States to reestablish diplomatic relations.
This, however, is not a setback, as Cuba is firm in its principles, in defense of its sovereignty.
The occasion was appropriate to salute representatives of Cuban doctors from all states of Brazil in this venue called “Reunion with Cuba” on occasion of the 56 years of Brazilian solidarity with the Revolution. Present at the meeting were leaders of trade unions, political parties, deputies, social and student movements who spoke to extol the Five, as well as Cuban ambassador, Marielena Ruiz Capote and members of the diplomatic mission. (Cubaminrex-Embacuba Brazil)

terrorist attack

U.S. State Department identifies Posada Carriles as planner of 1976 terrorist attack

U.S. State Department identifies Posada Carriles as planner of 1976 terrorist attack
A declassified 1976 State Department document, released June 3, identifies Luis Posada Ca­rriles as the most likely author of a terrorist attack on a Cuban airliner, which took the lives of all 76 passengers. The note, sent by two high level CIA officials to Henry Kis­singer, illustrates the States Department’s concern regarding ties between the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and extremist Cuban émigré groups in South Florida

Author: Prensa Latina | internet@granma.cu
june 5, 2015 16:06:09

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The self-confessed terrorist Luis Posada Carriles . Photo: Archivo del Internet

WASHINGTON.— A declassified 1976 State Department document identifies Luis Posada Ca­rriles as the most likely author of a terrorist attack on a Cuban airliner that year which took the lives of all 76 passengers aboard.
The memorandum, released June 3, illustrates the department’s concern regarding ties between the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and extremist Cuban émigré groups in South Florida.
The note was sent by two high level CIA officials to then Secretary of State Henry Kis­singer, in reference to Fidel Castro’s accusations of U.S. involvement in the downing of the Cuban aircraft, as it departed Barbados on October 6, 1976.
According to the memorandum, the CIA had ties to three of the persons implicated in the attack, “but any role that these people may have had with the demolition took place without the knowledge of the CIA.”
The document details the CIA’s links with “individuals allegedly involved” in sabotaging the plane – and specifically cites Hernán Ricardo Lozano, Freddy Lugo, Luis Posada Carriles, Orlando Bosch, Frank Castro, Orlando Garcia, Ricardo Morales Navarrete and Felix Martínez Suárez – while specifying that the CIA had only made contact in the past with Posada, Bosch and Martínez Suárez. Martínez Suárez was not involved in the bombing, according to the report.
The document is signed by Harold H. Saunders, director of the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research and Harry W. Shlaudeman, assistant secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs.
A heavily censured version of the memorandum was already on file at the National Security Archives, and was declassified by the State Department’s historian, with a volume of other documents concerning Central America and Mexico, from the period 1973 through 1976.
Cuba has, on multiple occasions, denounced U.S. involvement in the downing of Cubana flight 455, identifying as CIA agents the two Venezuelans, Hernán Ricardo and Freddy Lugo, who placed the bombs inside the aircraft, on the orders of Luis Po­sada Carriles and Orlando Bosch.
Posada was trained by the U.S. Army at Ft. Benning in the 1960s, to undertake military action against Cuba, as part of the CIA’s Operation Mongoose.
He continues to live in Miami, and has admitted his role in the 1976 terrorist attack and been identified as the organizer of a 1997 series of hotel bombings in Havana. (PL)

Cuban Medicine, U.S. Embargo

Cuba removed from list of state sponsors of terrorism, one step in the right direction

Cuba removed from list of state sponsors of terrorism
of Terrorism designation, effective today, May 29 The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry signed the final order to rescind Cuba’s State Sponsor

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Author: Prensa Latina(PL) | internet@granma.cu
may 29, 2015 13:05:44
Washington, May 29; a Press Statement by U.S. State Department spokesman, Jeff Rathke, informed of Cuba’s official removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
In the official statement, the State Department spokesman noted that “The 45-day Congressional pre-notification period has expired, and the Secretary of State has made the final decision to rescind Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, effective today, May 29, 2015.”

Cuba has been included on the unilateral list drawn up by Washington since 1982.
In the statement he also noted that the “While the United States has significant concerns and disagreements with a wide range of Cuba’s policies and actions, these fall outside the criteria relevant to the rescission of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designation.”
In order to come into effect, the decision must be published in the Federal Register (the daily newspaper of the Federal government), although the diplomatic office has assured that the decision is effective immediately.

 

 

Life expectancy: 78.45 years
The provinces of Las Tunas and Holguín have a life expectancy of approximately 79.5 years, the highest in the country
Author: Orfilio Peláez | orfilio@granma.cu
may 26, 2015 09:05:47

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A rise in the life expectancy of both sexes was recorded in all provinces. Photo: Yaimí Ravelo

At the end of the period 2011-2013, the Cuban population’s life expectancy was 78.45 years, placing the island among the top 25 nations registering the highest figure in this human development indicator.

Juan Carlos Alfonso Fraga MSc. director of the National Office of Statistics and Information’s (ONEI) Center for Population and Development Studies (Cepde), stated to Granma that the cited figure represents a 0.48 increase in comparison to the period 2005-2007, which registered an average of 77.97 years. A rise in the life expectancy of both sexes was recorded in all provinces.
Specifically, the life expectancy of Cuban women is 80.45 years, while it is 76.50 for men. On average, the citizens of Las Tunas, Holguin, Villa Clara and Guantánamo, surpass 81 years; while those born in Artemisa, Camagüey, Havana and Mayabeque fail to reach the age of 80.

 

Cuban Revolution

MID-TERM VOTE, Cuban elections during historic times

MID-TERM VOTE

Cuban elections during historic times

Some 88.3% of eligible voters cast ballots during the first round of mid-term elections, on April 19, to select delegates to Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power
Author: Livia Rodriguez Delis | livia@granma.cu
april 21, 2015 09:04:24

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Photo: Juvenal Balán

This April 19, Cubans participated in another historic event reflective of the times. More than 7.5 million voters, 88.3% of eligible voters, exercised their right to vote to reaffirm their commitment to the future of the Revolution, on a day when the country also celebrated the 54th anniversary of Cuba’s victory over the U.S. backed invasion at Playa Girón, on the Bay of Pigs.
Alina Balseiro, president of the National Electoral Commission (CEN), presented preliminary results to the press, assessing the vote as satisfactory, with 90% of the ballots ruled valid, 4.54% submitted blank and 4.9% considered invalid.
She reported that 11,425 delegates were elected during this first round, having won over 50% of the vote as required, while 1,164 constituencies will return to the polls April 26 for a second round vote, since no candidate reached the necessary percentage.
Balseiro noted that the number of female delegates rose to 34.87% of the total and that 14.95% were youths, while 54.87% of current delegates were reelected.
She emphasized that only 59.24% of those elected to the Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power are members of the Communist Party of Cuba, while 6.75% are members of the Young Communist League, saying, “This demonstrates that political affiliation is not required to be a delegate.”
More than 24,600 polling stations were established for the elections, with 20,000 young people serving as observers, of special relevance during the public count of the vote, also witnessed by members of the community, as any interested party has this right.