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The Office of the ANC Chief Whip welcomes the resolution of the National
Assembly at its sitting last night calling for the immediate release and
freedom of the remaining members of the Cuban Five. The Cuban Five are
five Cuban men who were accused by the United States government of
committing espionage and conspiracy against the United States of
America, and as such were imprisoned since 12 September 1998. Two of the
five men, René González and Fernando González, have since been released,
in 2011 and 2014 respectively.

The formal resolution of the South African Parliament calling the United
States to release the Cuban Five, lift the economic blockade of Cuba and
immediately engage Cuba more positively is a significant contribution to
this international campaign, and further speak volumes about our
country's political pursuit of peace, justice, reconciliation and human
rights internationally.

Parliament's debates and resolutions on important matters such as this
reaffirms the activist nature of the institution, which conducts its
business robustly, fearlessly and asserts its role on international
matters. Recently, the House passed a resolution on the Gaza situation.

The resolution of the House on the Cuban Five was based on the draft
resolution tabled by the African National Congress Chief Whip, which
called on the House to:

1.  note that the Cuban Five are five Cuban men who were charged by the
United States government of committing espionage and conspiracy against
the United States of America, and as such were imprisoned since 12
September 1998;

2.  remember that the Cuban Five’s actions were not directed at the
United States government, and that they did not engage in, nor plan any
conspiracy against the government, but rather that they infiltrated
terrorist organisations in Miami who were planning terrorist attacks on
Cuba;

3.  further remember that they did not harm anyone nor did they possess
or use any weapons on their mission which was simply to protect the
people of Cuba from terrorism;

4.  believe that the United States should have worked with the Cuban
Five clandestine anti-terrorist operation to prevent criminal acts and
to deter terrorism in whatever form and wherever it came from as it is a
growing threat to global stability;

5.  welcome the release of René González on 7 October 2011, after
completing his sentence and his freedom finally being guaranteed in May
2013, and the release of Fernando González on 27 February 2014; and

6.  call upon the South African government, civil society and all South
Africans to join the world in solidarity with the Cuban Five, and
actively participate in forums, media, publicity work, marches and
petitions geared at demanding the immediate release and freedom of the
remaining members of the Cuban Five; and

7.  further call upon the President of the United States of America to
lift the blockade immediately and engage Cuba more positively.

The resolution of the House will be sent to both the Cuban and American
embassies for the attention of their governments.