The Time to Act is Now!

The new blog 5daysforthecuban5.com, designed specifically for the 5 days, has received more than 1000 endorsers. Just recently, well-known personalities from Sweden such as Thageo G. Peterson, former Speaker of the Swedish Parliament and former Minister of both Justice and Defense, Bishop Eva Brunne, Diocese of Stockholm and eight members of the Sweden Parliament:  Amineh Kakabaveh, Torbjörn Björlund, Jan Lindholm, Jens Holm, Hillevi Larsson, Marianne Berg, Bengt Berg and Siv Holma signed on. In addition Damián Alegría, Parliamentarian from El Salvador, Miguel Angel Martínez, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Gianni Vatimo member of the European Parliament from Italy, Willy Meyers member of the European Parliament from Spain, Alfredo Vera, Network in Defense of Humanity, Ecuador Chapter, Alba Palacios Congresswoman from Nicaragua and Roso Grimau, Venezuela member of the Parlatino also added their names to the list of endorsers. 

While endorsers continue to pour in, the number of personalities who have confirmed their participation in the events of the 5 days is also growing and now includes, Ramsey Clark, former US Attorney General, William LeoGrande, former Dean of Public Affairs of American University in Washington, Lawrence Wilkerson, retired United States Army Colonel and former chief of staff to United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, Wayne Smith, former chief of the US Interests Section in Havana, Tom Hayden, Director of the Peace and Justice Resource Center and author, Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond CA, known actor Danny Glover, Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, former General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, Sarah Stephens, Director of Center for Democracy in the Americas, James Early, Director of Cultural Studies and Communication at the Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies at the Smithsonian Institution, Cindy Sheehan, Peace activist, Rafael Cancel Miranda, leader of  Puerto Rican Independence movement, Ignacio Ramonet, Spanish author and journalist, former editor of Le Monde Diplomatique,  Fernando Morais, Brazilian politician and writer, Gilbert Brownstone, President of the Brownstone Foundation, Arturo López-Levy, Professor at the University of Denver and one of the founders of Cuban-Americans for Engagement (CAFE), Rev. Graylan Hagler, Senior Minister of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Sofía Clark D´Escoto, from the Office of Father Miguel D´Escoto, Beinusz Szmukler, President of the Advisory Board of the American Association of Jurists, Graciela Rosemblum, President of the Argentinean Human Rights League, Rev. Edgar Palacios, Associate Pastor of Christian Education at Calvary Baptist Church, Luciano Vasapollo, Italian Intellectual of the Network on Defense of Humanity, Heike Hänsel, German Parliamentarian, Torbjörn Björklund, Sweden Parliamentarian, Hugo Gutiérrez  Chilean Parliamentarian, Canadian writers and journalists Stephen Kimber, Arnold August and Keith Bolender, Jane Franklin, U.S. historian and writer, Mavis Anderson, Senior Associate of Latin American Working Group (LAWG), Sandra Levinson, Director of the Center for Cuban Studies, Linda Evans, political prisoner pardoned by Bill Clinton in 2001. Also, a number of legal experts have confirmed their participation including the lead attorney of the Five Martin Garbus, and Phillip Horowitz, Jose Pertierra, Peter Schey, Rafael Anglada from Puerto Rico, Steve Cottingham from England, journalists, activists and solidarity friends.

The recent outrageous revelations about USAID covert operations aimed at creating unrest in Cuba continues to be headlines in all the U.S. media. This does not mean an end to the US government’s ceaseless campaign against the Cuban people but rather a re-examining of their tactics. The problem for Washington is that their secret regime change programs are becoming more public and in the majority of these articles there are references to the case of the Cuban 5. These revelations gives us a great opportunity to bring to D.C. our demand that any improvement in relations between the two countries must include a humanitarian solution for the freedom of the Cuban 5. There are certain key moments in any long struggle where activists for justice can intervene and make a difference and this is one of those historical moments.

We urge all our solidarity friends from the United States, Europe and Latin America to come to Washington DC in June at this important moment in time.

• Join us in demanding the immediate freedom for the Five.    
• Join us at an educational conference “New Era in US-Cuba Relations" with renowned academics, authors, religious figures, international parliamentarians, and lawyers on June 5th and 6th.   
• Join us at the Concert with renowned duo Dead Prez on the evening Friday June 6.  
• Join us in front of the White House on Saturday, June 7 to protest for the end of the blockade and for the freedom of the Five.  
• Join us on June 9th and 10th along with members of parliaments from Latin America and Europe and with the Mayor of Richmond CA, Gayle McLaughlin to visit members of Congress in continuing to advocate for the release of Gerardo, Ramón y Antonio.   

Help someone from your organization or community participate in the 5 Days. As this week of events grows in size so does the amount of money it will require to be successful. Please contribute whatever is possible for you. To make a donation visit: http://5daysforthecuban5.com/donate-2/

Show the White House and the American people that worldwide opinion demands freedom for the Five. We will never have a better opportunity to influence policy makers.  

To endorse click here:  http://5daysforthecuban5.com/add-your-voice/