French Activists Reiterate Commitment to Solidarity with Cuba

Leaders of the organization Cuba Si France reiterated their commitment to the Cuban Revolution and the fight for the release of the Cuban Five.

During a friendly meeting this weekend at the headquarters of the group with the deputy head of the Ideological Department of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, Joel Suarez, its president, Charly Bouhana, explained the origins of this work in support of the Caribbean nation.

The starting point, he said, was an initiative of the French caricaturist George Wolinski, which jelled from the decision of the Book Union of sending an aid ship to Havana in the late 80s of last century.

From this experience they carried out many efforts many projects until the founding of Cuba Si France 20 years ago with the participation of a lot of members, most of them workers, said Bouhana.

The organization has about 3,000 members and branches in various places in France, including Alsace, Aquitaine, Brittany, Lorraine, Pays de la Loire and Rhone-Alpes.

Bouhsns noted that one of the priorities of the group is fighting for the release of the Cuban Five: Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, who along with Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez were arrested in 1998 while monitoring Cuban groups in Florida.

Only René and Fernando are currently in Cuba, after fully serving their sentences.

Suarez thanked all these gestures of solidarity and said that the group, rather than proposing ideas and projects have shown concrete results and encouraged them to continue and deepen their tasks.

Meanwhile, Cuba's ambassador to France, Héctor Igarza, said that in addition to humanitarian work, Cuba Si France carries out an intense political work to clarify the facts about his country.

The solidarity meeting ended a tour by Suarez in France, which included his participation in a seminar and a discussion at the headquarters of the French Communist Party, as well as contacts with groups such as the Gabriel Peri foundation and France Cuba.