The ANC wants to acknowledge the presence in the House of Aleida Guevara and Camilo Guevara, representing the Cuban people here today.
I want to greet these comrades and say...
Bien venido a Sur frica, compaeros. Nosotros Sur Africanos y ustedes somos hermanos de sangre, como junto vamos a mantener la paz en todo el mundo y seremos como le Ch. (Translation of Spanish paragraph follows.)
[Welcome to South Africa, comrades. We, South Africans, and you, our blood brothers, together will support world peace, and will be like Ch.] Aleida and Camilo are in South Africa to raise awareness about the Cuban Five, Gerardo Hernndez, Ramn Labaino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzlez and Ren Gonzlez are being illegitimately and illegally held in US prisons.
The Cuban Five were in the US to monitor the activities of the Miami-based anti-Cuban groups and to prevent terrorist attacks on Cuba. These Miami- based organisations have mounted various attacks on the island over the years, in which as many as 3 000 people have been killed as a result of their actions.
They were sentenced in June 2001 in a US federal court to 15 years, 19 years, and life respectively for committing so-called espionage. The Cuban Five were not convicted because they violated US laws, but because their work exposed those who were doing so. By infiltrating the terror networks that are allowed to exist in Florida, they exposed the hypocrisy and double standards with regard to the fight against terrorism.
Cubans played a very important role in the liberation of Angola, Namibia and South Africa and, therefore, the ANC wants to reaffirm our solidarity with the Cuban people by demanding that these five gallant and heroic Cubans be released from prison and reunited with their families and compatriots.
Patria ou muerte, venceremos! [Fatherland or death, we will be victorious!]