The content of the following paper explores the almost unheard case of the Cuban Five. Five males from Cuba were given unfair jail sentences after being accused of espionage and terrorism. Under false allegations and pretenses, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, and Rene González have been part of a long trial with minimal media coverage. The five aimed to seize the plans of anti-Cuban terrorist organizations, many of which are based in Miami, Florida. The trial lasted over six months, and became the longest trial in United States history. More than 119 volumes of testimony and over 20,000 pages of documents were collected and even with the testimony of three retired US Army generals and a retired admiral, who stated that no evidence of espionage existed, they were still sentenced.
A statement by Fernando González Llort (2001) clearly states the Cuban-American National Fund (CANF) appears to be the primary foundation of such terrorist organizations, involving and gaining support from various American leaders. The acts of the Cuban Five would expose the wrong-doings of many American key figures and for such a reason; the heroes were made out to be the criminals. González Llort also states the only thing he and his fellow companions are guilty of is reporting, or more so warning, in the most docile manner, possible threats to Cuba by terrorists in the United States.
Plastered all over the media in the year 1999, was a unique custody battle over Cuban born Elian González. Elian made it to Miami, after escaping Cuba with his mother and her boyfriend, who both drowned. González’s paternal uncles took custody of the child while Elian’s father, who resided in Cuba, requested his child be returned to him. The story grasped national attention and there was a surge of Americans voicing their opinions on the decision they felt was right for the young boy. Nothing about Elian’s journey through the American judicial system was kept secret, and he was eventually returned to his homeland to live with his father. Almost concurrently, five Cuban men were becoming victims of American injustice. These men, still quite unheard of today, were insignificant to the media especially with the Elian case taking place, making the American legal system seem impartial and sympathetic to those who need aid. Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, and Rene González are prey of the flaws in American justice and foreign policy. Without attention, they will continue to wrongly serve long grueling jail sentences.
Gerardo Hernández Nordelo was born in Havana in 1965 and was raised by his widowed mother. According to Radio Reloj (2002), Gerardo was always an applied student and active in many youth groups. After attending college, Gerardo was in the military and served in 54 combative missions. He was later acknowledged for his valor and hard work, attaining several significant medals. Eventually, Gerardo achieved a position in the communist political party, around the time he married. In about 1999, Hernández Nordelo came to the United States, working as a graphic designer. He is regarded by his colleagues, friends, and neighbors in Miami as a pleasing, delightful individual.
Ramón Labañino Salazar was born in 1963, and was raised by his father, into a family of farmers. Throughout his school years, Ramon was involved in sports and was deemed the head of his age group. He became politically active as soon as he received his college degree. According to Radio Reloj, Labañino Salazar joined the communist political party, where he attained the title of Secretary-General in 1991. He married his second wife and had two daughters; he also has a daughter from his previous marriage. Years later, Ramón came to the United States where he delivered medications to pharmaceutical companies in Florida.
Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez was born in Miami, Florida in 1958. His family and he returned to Cuba in 1959 to support the revolutionary movement by Castro. In school, he was always an honor student and captain of both the baseball and soccer teams. While in college Antonio joined the Union of Young Communists. He was later sent to Russia, where he would do construction and receive a scholarship to finish college. Guerrero Rodríguez graduated with a 4.7 out of five grade point average. When he returned to Cuba, Antonio went to aviation school. He became a plane architect and then a pilot. Guerrero Rodríguez joined the communist political party in 1991 and married a Panamanian resident of Cuba. The couple moves to Panama where they have their son. A few years later, Antonio came to the United States where he held a temporary job at Key West Naval Base. Guerrero Rodríguez’s colleagues and friends repute him as meticulous, animated, happy, reliable, and respected man. Fernando González Llort was born in Havana in 1963 and was raised by parents who were involved in and strongly supported Castro’s revolution. During the course of his schooling, Fernando was at the top of his class, extremely dedicated, and serious. In 1981, he joined the Union of Young Communists and graduated college with a “gold diploma.” In 1988, Fernando joined the communist political party. He dedicated his life to gathering information about people and/or organizations who posed a threat to the island of Cuba or the Cuban government (Radio Reloj, 2002). To Cuban residents who disagree with common people reporting wrongdoings to the government or in a sense a “tattletale,” such a position is referred to as “chivato” (a rat). Soon after beginning his search, Fernando married and had a son. His pursuit to find the source of the threats would lead him astray from them to the city of Miami.
René González Sehwerert was born in Chicago in 1956. He was raised by his mother and his father, who traveled back and forth between Indiana and Chicago. From the United States, René’s family cooperated with the movement on July 26th to overthrow Cuban leader Batista. In 1961 the family returned to Cuba and remained strong supporters of the revolution. Although his teachers thought he would become an engineer, at the age of seven, René requested to be sent to military school to be just like his father. In 1970 he became a part of the Union of Young Communists. For his active role in the military, political support, and one of his greatest missions, René was designated lieutenant and awarded prestigious medals. At the end of 1990, he moved to the United States. Both René’s wife and daughter joined him. In 1998, shortly before González Sehwerert was detained, another daughter was born. Once he was detained, René’s wife and children were deported, for legal paperwork allowing the wife and René to lawfully marry was incomplete, the girls were deemed accomplices of alleged terrorist acts.
All five men left Cuba for Miami for one reason – civic duty to their country of Cuba. The men were trying to foil and investigate plans of anti-Cuban terrorism groups and report back to their government. According to the Cuban5.org, when the Cuban revolution in 1959 finished, Cuba had been the victim of more terrorist attacks than any other country in the world, and other countries only hear about terrorism going on in the Middle East. Cuban terrorists killed 3,478 and injuring 2,099. Groups like Alpha 66, Omega 7, Brothers to the Rescue, and Cuban American National Foundation have conducted bombings, assassinations and other sabotage, killing hundreds of innocent Cuban civilians. Cubans were also victims of terror attacks by the Miami-based mafia, many of whom came from the wealthy class that left Cuba after the popular overthrow of Dictator Fulgencio Batista. The U.S. government along with the CIA protected these terrorist organizations, and played the principal role in funding, training and arming the Miami mafia. The FBI targeted the five Cubans instead of arresting the terrorists. The only reason that the five Cubans are in prison is because they were framed in a political witch hunt.

Luis Posada Carriles was a major terrorist that the Cuban five were trying to stop and an example of the United States helping terrorist organizations. According to Gaeton Fonzi, the author of The Last Investigation, Posada was a former lieutenant in the United States Army, Posada also worked for the Central Intelligence Agency until 1967. Even though he was born in Cuba and lived in Havana, Posada was against Fidel Castro and tried to kill him numerous times. One of his attempts was in November 2000 when he and three colleagues were arrested after trying to assassinate Fidel Castro at the University of Panama, but they were later freed. Posada’s most deadly attack was in October of 1976, the midair explosion of Cuban Flight 455 flying out of Barbados killed all 73 people aboard including all 24 young athletes on Cuba's gold-medal fencing team. On another note, with all the plan attacks, bombings, and killing, the United States always had an excuse for why he couldn’t be put to trial. In 2005 Posada began living free in Miami, governments of Cuba and Venezuela wanted to give a trial in their country, but the US refused those requests, claiming he would not receive a fair trial in either country. The only thing Posada was charged for were relatively minor offences of lying to immigration officials about how he entered the US.
After their arrest by the FBI in September 1998, they were convicted June 8, 2001 and sentenced December 2001.The five men were also sentenced to life in prison, accused of being a part of a Cuban intelligence group known as “La Red Avispa,” an assembly which monitored anti-Castro movements and allegedly reported private operations of US Military branches to Cuba in attempts to initiate secret attacks on the United States. In June 2001, the men were tried on 26 counts including conspiracy to weaken national defense, transmitting undisclosed information to “unregistered agents of foreign countries,” and identity fraud (www.svensk-kubanska.se/cubava/pdf/AmnestyDe5Engleska.pdf). The sentences ranged from fifteen years to life. Gerardo Hernández received a second life prison sentence for conspiracy to murder, in his assumed role in the shooting down of two planes by Cuba operated by anti-Castro members. Had he actually committed the crime, it was done to prevent terrorist Americans from harming his homeland. There was no evidence to show that the five breached National Security, the only accusation they do not deny is the charge of being unregistered agents for the Cuban government. However, any person who would report a terrorist threat to the American government while breaching another country’s security would be deemed a hero. Double standards on terrorism were very evident in regards to this case. Considering that these men are openly in support of communism and would be exposing the involvement of American key figures in terrorist attacks geared towards Cuba, labeled them for unjust trials, where they would automatically be considered criminals. Any flaw pointed out in the American system is considered terrorism. Perhaps if the legal system accepted these criticisms, the process the United States of America is maintained in would improve.
In 2008 the Court of Appeals lessened the sentences of two of the five men because there was still no proof that information had been transmitted from the men to the Cuban government. The decision was not unanimous (www.people’sworld.org,2008), displaying the ignorance that even swept the courtrooms. With no reason, the court denied a petition to review the sentences in June 2009. In 2010, defense lawyers put in a plea for habeas corpus in the name of Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, who received the worst of all sentences and whose punishment was denied review in 2008.
On September 2011, Gerardo put in yet another appeal for habeas corpus on the grounds of newer evidence, satellite footage from the flight leaving Miami to Cuba in 1996. However, the U.S. continues to deny any access to documents that may serve the Cuban five’s defense in a helpful way. On October 7, 2011 it was announced that René González, now 55, was released on probation. The Cuban administration continues to request the freedom of the other four men and is not satisfied with the so-called freedom of René González. He is not yet allowed to leave Florida and reunite with his family. Meanwhile some American representatives are aggravated with the release of one of the men and are willing to fight against the freedom of the others (freethefive.org). René González was just released to quiet the Cuban administration a bit, but the attempt was a failure.
Aside from double standards, a biased group, injustice and entrapment in the “land of the free,” the case of the Cuban five shows two things many American citizens allow to blind them. One of these blinders is the ability of the media to show news to spin stories and manipulate our way of thinking. If the story is not being spinned, chances are (as in the case of the Cuban five), it is being snubbed. This is done to prevent citizens from being informed. Media not covering the Cuban five is an intelligent attempt to shade the truth, for if many people heard about this case they may exercise their rights and protest, changing the unfair sentences of innocent men. The other blinder is the misconception often heard about Cuba being an enemy and enforcing unjust acts towards Americans or even the thought that the USA is willing to help Cuba. If concrete research is done, many of the laws preventing tourists from seeing Cuba’s beauty are from the United States. As far as the USA willing to help Cuba, it is evident through the case of the Cuban five there is no interest in positive change, just allowing terrorism to creep up on certain countries.

References
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National Committee to Free the Cuban Five. (n.d.). National Committee to Free the Cuban Five. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.freethefive.org
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