Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, cell phone 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org
The Green Party urges reversal of Cold War
policies against Cuba, deportation of a Cuban terrorist, and release
of five Cubans imprisoned on specious charges.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders called on
the Bush Administration to welcome Cuba's offer to send 1500
fully-equipped and experienced doctors into the hurricane-ravaged Gulf
Coast region.
"It is unconscionable that the federal
government would refuse this offer of assistance to thousands of
victims of Katrina, many of whom are still suffering from lack of
medical attention," said Tony Gronowicz, Green candidate for
mayor of New York City and member of the Green Party's International
Committee. "Before he was removed, FEMA chief Michael Brown
claimed that he would not turn down any offer of assistance. Why is
the White House denying entry visas to hundreds of trained doctors,
all packed and ready to save lives in Louisiana and Mississippi?"
The Green Party has strongly opposed the U.S.
government's Cold War policy against Cuba and has called for an end to
the embargo and hostilities against the Castro government. Green
leaders called the Katrina emergency an ideal opportunity to overhaul
Cuba policy, normalize diplomatic relations, and repeal the ban on
travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens.
"The anti-Cuba policy is absurd and hypocritical," said
Michael Canney, Florida Green and member of Cuba Vive of Florida and
the Gainesville Cuba Friendship Network. "While blocking the
Cuban doctors, Bush's Homeland Security Department is coddling known
terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. Furthermore, five young Cubans, whose
only crime was to gather information about terrorists in Miami, remain
confined in federal prisons even after their wrongful convictions were
overturned by the 11th District Court of Appeals."
Greens, in accord with the Organization of
American States (OAS), have demanded Luis Posada Carriles' deportation
or extradition to Venezuela to stand trial for his involvement in the
1976 mid-air bombing of a Cuban passenger plane that killed all 73
people aboard, and have called for the immediate release of the Cuban
Five from federal prisons pending a new trial.
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
"Castro: U.S. hasn't responded to Katrina offer"
CNN.com, September 5, 2005
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/09/05/katrina.cuba/index.html
National Committee to Free the Cuban Five
http://www.freethefive.org/
Message to the American People from Cuban prisoners
http://www.granma.cu/miami5/ingles/042.htm