French Lawmakers Reaffirm Commitment to Cuban Five

Paris, Sep 11.- Members of the France-Cuba Friendship Parliamentary Group welcomed Cuban antiterrorist fighter Rene Gonzalez at the venue of the National Assembly, and reaffirmed their commitment to the release of his comrades who are still unjustly held in US prisons.

Andre Chassaigne, a lawmaker from the Communist Party of France and chairman of the group, expressed satisfaction with the meeting with Rene and his will to take concrete actions for this cause to succeed.

In statements to Prensa Latina, the lawmaker ratified the commitment to increasing pressure on the US administration and having President Barack Obama take the right decision, which includes the release of the Five patriots, he said.

"We will meet with our colleagues of the France-US Friendship Parliamentary Group to work together and implement all the necessary initiatives", Chassaigne pointed out.

During the meeting, Rene explained to the lawmakers the details of the case and the arbitrariness committed by US authorities, including denying visas to the relatives of The Five, as they are known internationally, to visit them in prison.

After the meeting, Sergio Coronado, a lawmaker who represents the French residents in Latin America and the Caribbean, recalled the existence of a long-term commitment to mobilization and protest in favor of the Cuban antiterrorist fighters held in US prisons.

He described the initiatives mentioned at the meeting as very useful, particularly the work with the France-US group to carry out joint actions to inform US congress people about this case.

Likewise, the lawmaker from Europe Ecology-The Greens, noted the possibility that French parliamentarians participate in some way in an international meeting for The Five in Washington in June.

Coronado told Prensa Latina that the meeting with Rene and Cuban Ambassador to France Hector Igarza allowed prioritizing the case on the agenda.

"Each of us in the position we hold in our political parties, in this friendship group and, in addition, in the French public space, will take the necessary initiatives to further boost this situation", he assured.

Also present at the meeting were Cuban Political Attaché Noslen Ocaña and Cuban Communist Party official Edelis Santana.

On September 12, 1998, Rene was arrested in the United States, along with Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez, Ramon Labañino and Gerardo Hernandez for warning their people about aggressions planned on US territory by Miami-based terrorist groups.

The Five stood a rigged trial full of irregularities and were sentenced to unjustified lengthy prison terms.

Rene and Fernando are already in Cuba after fully serving their sentences, but their three other comrades are still in US prisons.(Prensa Latina).

cadenagramonte.cu

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