Latin America Ride on a Motorcycle Tour Backing the Cuban 5

Written by  Radio Angulo

Like Ernesto Che Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado did many years ago, some Latin American youths are taking part in a motorcycle tour across South America but this time in support of the Cuban Five.

Juan Tola, Dario Valenzuela and Milco Figueroa have ridden about 1500 kilometers by motorcycle on a route that leads them from the Venezuelan side of the Amazon River to Patagonia. They bring the truth about the Cuban Five to every community they pass by.

Juan is Bolivian and both Dario and Milco are from Argentina. Ahead of them, in support activities, travels Uruguayan-Venezuelan Laura Machin, and Argentine Nicolas Bravo. They are members of the initiative Sembrando caminos con los Cinco (Cultivating Paths with the Cuban Five).

The young doctors graduated in 2009 from the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM for its Spanish acronyms) in Havana. Since then, they have been working in zones of difficult access of the Venezuelan side of the Amazon River; home to indigenous peoples.

A month ago, they started a tour that holds more than pure symbolism. Doing this in Latin America has its roots: the trip that Ernesto Guevara made, fresh from medicine school, along with his dear friend Alberto Granado.

It was in 1952, from Patagonia to the Amazon, and now it’s done the other way around. The Latin American doctors are now taking part of a dream every progressive youth has always had.

The pilgrims for the liberation and the immediate return to Cuba of Ramon, Gerardo, Antonio, Fernando and Rene have been received in Caracas by members of the Cuban missions in Venezuela and politicians from Bolivar’s homeland.

The deputy and president of the group of friendship with Cuba, Maria Leon, praised the initiative of the boys from Battalion 51, formed by doctors graduated in ELAM of Havana.

Cuban ambassador in Venezuela, Rogelio Polanco, also referred to the effort of the youths, who are being accompanied by the International Committee of Solidarity with the Cuban Five, and all the good people they meet in their trip.

The initiative intends to give lectures and play videos about the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters, unfairly imprisoned in the United States, as well as to gather the will of people and promote the solidarity with a cause that is everyone’s.

The trip has barely started. But we can say that it is not only a path to cultivate, it’s also harvest time.

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