The Editorial Board of the New York Times, one of the major papers reflecting U.S. ruling class opinion, today called for a prisoner exchange of the three remaining imprisoned members of the Cuban Five — Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, and Ramón Labañino — for Alan Gross, the American agent who is serving a 15-year sentence in Cuba. This is a major breakthrough in the case of the Five. It follows several editorials in the Times calling for normalization of relations with Cuba and an end to the U.S. blockade.
The editorial notes that commuting the Five’s sentences would be “justified considering the lengthy time they have served, the troubling questions about the fairness of their trial, and the potential diplomatic payoff in clearing the way toward a new bilateral relationship.” This is the first time that the fairness of the Five’s trial has been questioned in the major media.
Equally significantly, the editorial doesn’t shy away from including Gerardo Hernández in its call for freeing the Five. Gerardo was falsely accused and convicted of murder conspiracy, and is serving a double life sentence. The editorial details his case and the dissenting opinion of Federal Judge Phyllis Kravitch, who insisted that the government prosecutors failed to prove Gerardo’s guilt on murder conspiracy charges. Judge Kravitch was on the original 3-judge panel that overturned the Five’s convictions in 2005. Gerardo’s case and that of Ramón and Antonio as well are currently on Habeas Corpus appeal. [Gerardo’s affidavit detailing his innocence can be read here.]
We disagree strongly with some aspects of the editorial, including its labeling Cuba a “police state,” the analogy of the Cuban Five with the Taliban, and the implication that Cuba is holding Gross for ransom or political leverage (rather than because he was rightly convicted of violating Cuban law). And it simply refers to the Five as “convicted spies,” without even mentioning their anti-terrorist mission. Nevertheless, the editorial reflects the growing movement for the Five’s freedom, and a big boost in the media visibility of their case and the struggle for their freedom. It should be publicized widely.
Click here to read the editorial.
