On November 3rd, 2008, Father Michael Lapsley, Chairperson of the Friends of Cuba Society (FOCUS) in Cape Town, South Africa was able to visit one of the five (Gerardo Hernández), in the Federal Penitentiary at Victorville, two hours from Los Angeles.
Father Michael brought Gerardo greetings from the whole Cuban solidarity movement in South Africa and was able to update him on the campaign for the freedom of the Five in South Africa. He reiterated the commitment of FOCUS to continues been one of the active forces of the worldwide solidarity movement promoting solidarity with the cause of the Five, with their families and the Cuban people as a whole.
Father Lapsley, was once again impressed by the fact that, despite all the pain and suffering that Gerardo have endure, he remains completely steadfast in his commitment to the Cuban revolution and to his motherland. “He knows his cause is just. He knows that one day he will be reunited with Adriana and walk in the streets of Havana as a free man.”
As a summary of his visit Father Michael expressed: “Our task for the Five is the same – to organize, and gain freedom for the Five. We must also join the worldwide humanitarian demand for Adriana and Rene Gonzalez's wife Olga to be able to visit their husbands in prison. The Five are depending on us.”
Father Michael Lapsley sent the following message on his recent visit to Gerardo Hernández:
For the fifth time I had the rare privilege of visiting Gerardo Hernandez in the Federal Penitentiary at Victorville, two hours from Los Angeles. It was Monday November 3, the day before the US election. Gerardo is serving a double life sentence.
Although a brand new prison it is hard to imagine a more bleak place. The only thing that was missing was a sign saying, "Give up hope all you who enter here."
Gerardo, now 43 strode in to the waiting room with a beaming smile and a natural self confidence.
I brought with me the solidarity greetings of the whole Cuban solidarity movement in South Africa.
I was very happy to meet Gerardo once more. It had been over a year since my last visit. At the same time, I felt sad, that another visit to him meant that he had endured yet another year of injustice. Imprisoned for helping prevent terrorism against his motherland.
There was so much to talk about – the latest on their case – Cuba, South Africa, the United States, our families, the solidarity movement. Three hours went by in a flash.
Up until a few months ago, despite being a "model" prisoner, Gerardo was considered so dangerous that he had to report his presence in the prison to the authorities. In this respect common sense has prevailed.
Gerardo receives letters every day from all over the world. He replies to at least 10 every day. Sometimes the prison authorities can take up to three months before they give his letters to him
Undoubtedly the greatest source of pain for Gerardo, is that the love of his life, Adriana, his wife, has been refused permission to meet him for the last ten years. Such cruelty is contrary to international law and reflects badly on the United States.
We spoke about the US election, how even most of the prisoners supported Obama apart from a small group of committed racists. The Cuban people have also been very excited about the likelihood that Obama would be elected.
President elect Obama, has said that he would be willing to talk with the Cuban government without any preconditions.
Obama is going to be the next President of the United States because people across the breadth and depth of the United States organized it to be so. His election has given not only Americans but people all over the world new hope.
On the one hand it has been a bleak year for the five. Their latest appeal was turned down. The next step is to appeal to the Supreme Court which only hears a small proportion of cases brought to it. On the other hand the support for the five continues to grow in leaps and bounds across the globe.
After the last setback, Gerardo wrote about how the US legal system had consistently failed to deliver justice to the Five.
Gerardo remains completely steadfast in his commitment to the Cuban revolution and to his motherland. He knows his cause is just. He knows that one day he will be reunited with Adriana and walk in the streets of Havana as a free man.
What gives Gerardo hope – it is you and me, the Cuban people and the worldwide solidarity movement
Obama organized, won victory and gives new hope. Our task for the Five is the same – to organize, and gain freedom for the Five.
We must also join the worldwide humanitarian demand for Adriana and Rene Gonzalez's wife Olga to be able to visit their husbands in prison.
The Five are depending on us.
