May 11 Demonstrations Announced in US: Posada's Release - a Crime of George W. Bush




FreeTheFive

2007-04-21



Thursday, April 19

For Immediate Release

The National Committee to Free the Cuban Five and the A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition, which have conducted a two-year campaign to demand the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela to stand trial for his terrorist crimes, denounced in the strongest terms today the release of Posada Carriles to walk the streets of Miami.

Gloria La Riva, coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, said, "The release of Luis Posada Carriles is an absolute outrage, and George W. Bush is directly responsible. He is fully aware that Posada has murdered dozens of people, from the 1976 mid-air plane bombing which killed 73 people, to the torture and murder of Venezuelan citizens, to the bombing of Havana hotels in the late 90s which took the life of Fabio di Celmo. Bush has never uttered a word to denounce Posada's presence in the United States." La Riva added, "Posada Carriles' associate Orlando Bosch was being monitored by the Cuban Five to prevent further acts of terrorism. It is Posada and Bosch who should be in prison, not the Cuban Five."

"On May 11, when his trial on the ridiculously minimal charge of immigration fraud takes place, many organizations and churches will hold a national demonstration in front of the courtroom in El Paso. We call on people in cities across the country and around the world to protest on that day, and demand that justice be done."

Brian Becker, national director of the ANSWER Coalition, said, "The people of the United States are being subjected to an Alice in Wonderland world; everything is turned upside-down. Bush refuses to characterize Posada as a terrorist and he walks the streets free, while the Cuban Five who fought terrorism, languish in U.S. prisons. We are demanding that Luis Posada Carriles be extradited to Venezuela to stand trial for his monstrous crimes."

José Pertierra, attorney for the Venezuelan government in their extradition request, added: "The Bush Administration, by freeing this international terrorist, shows the level of disrespect that the government has for its own system of laws.The law requires that he be held. This release makes a mockery of the memory of the victims of Posada, and is an insult to their families. By freeing Posada Carriles, he is a threat not only to flee, but a threat to the whole community. From Miami he can continue to carry out acts of terrorism against those he considers to be his enemies."

Andrés Gómez, national coordinator of the Antonio Maceo Brigade and long-time activist in Miami, also denounced the release of Posada. "Posada's presence in Miami is a grave and present danger to our communities in Miami. Posada, Bosch, and other terrorists are men with no regard for human life. They store their illegal arsenals next to our homes and children. The government's actions demonstrate that is the same policy of supporting terrorists that Bush's father had. Against the view of Assistant Attorney General Joe Whitney, Bush Sr. granted freedom to Orlando Bosch. Now George W. Bush is repeating the same outrage."



May 11 Demonstrations announced



The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five and many other organizations announced plans for massive worldwide protests, to be held on May 11, the date of Posada's trial. In El Paso, Texas, the demonstration will begin at noon at the Federal Courthouse, 700 E. San Antonio Ave., where Posada's trial begins at 1:30 p.m., and will continue on Monday and subsequent days for as long as the trial goes on. Other demonstrations are planned for New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other cities around the country and worldwide.

More details on the scheduled protests can be found at:



http://www.freethefive.org/posadaprotest.htm

http://www.freethefive.org/posadaprotest.htm

http://www.freethefive.org/posadaprotest.htm

http://www.freethefive.org/posadaprotest.htm

http://www.freethefive.org/posadaprotest.htm