Will Obama Receive the Most Convincing Letter?

Academician Piero Gleijeses, professor of Advanced U.S. Foreign Policy at Johns Hopkins University, sent a letter to the American President Barack Obama, where he ties to persuade by means of historical arguments, the urgent need to free the four Cuban heroes held in the United States (U.S.) unjustly accused of espionage.

He is an expert in the History of Cuba and Africa, and the author of books telling the real story of the Cuban participation in the liberation struggle in this continent. Gleijeses never wastes time in mistakes on the most controversial judgment in the history of the U.S. and he goes straight to the point: “The Cuban Five were condemned in an operetta jury to long sentences for Fidel Castro’s crimes.”

And he answers the question: Which crimes? “Fidel Castro’s crime – the Cuban Five were sentenced for- is evident: He has humiliated the U.S. as it was declared by a former British ambassador in Cuba, ‘Castro is still a hard nut to crack for the Americans. He has challenged and ridiculed the only super power in the world and he cannot be forgivable’.

“When Cubans were fighting for the freedom of the South African people, consecutive American administrations were trying the best to prevent it. In October, 1975, the South Africans, encouraged by Gerald Ford’s government, invaded Angola to crush Angola’s left Liberation Popular Movement (MPLA). Cuba responded sending 36,000 soldiers to Angola. In 1976, Cubans have pushed the South Africans out of the Angolan territory.

“The South African victory would have tightened the white domination paw against the Southern African peoples. It was the defining moment. Fidel Castro sent his troops to Angola in his commitment of what he said, it was ‘the most beautiful cause in humanity: the struggle against Apartheid’. As Kissinger later said, Castro ‘probably was the most genuine revolutionary leader in power by then.’

“This Cuban victory against Apartheid was a defeat and humiliation for the U.S. Ford’s government, which furious, put an end to the talks held with Cuba to normalize the relations.”

In another part of the letter, Gleijeses noted: “I am sure, Mister President, you could appreciate the irony. The U.S., had a great number of troops in Italy, Western Germany and Turkey –countries that in 1980 were not facing any imminent military threat by the Soviet Union, however, Jimmy Carter denied the Angolans the right to have Cuban troops to protect their country of a real South African threat.”

And reminds him: “Among the Cuban soldiers who were advancing to the border with Namibia, there were two young men well known today worldwide, Fernando Gonzalez Llort and Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo. Ten years before, Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert was also fighting in Angola. These three men, together with Ramon Labanino Salazar and Antonio Guerrero Rodri­guez are the Cuban Five in defense I am writing you about.

“Mister President, you attended Madela’s funeral and highlighted his legacy. You could see the reaction of the South African people to Raul Castro and Cuba. It is true; Cuba changed the course of the history in Southern Africa despite Washington’s fierce efforts to prevent it. I hope that what you saw in South Africa could inspire you to win the rift between the two countries and understand that in this dispute between the two countries, the U.S., is not the victim and that the Cuban Five are just political prisoners.”