Castro Demands Release of Five Cubans Detained by U.S.Speaking to an audience of 60,000 in a Havana neighborhood, Castro asked for "justice to be made and freedom of these five patriot brothers."He was sure that they would be back but the fight for their freedom would be a hard and long battle. He warned that the American authorities will have no other alternative than releasing the five "because they won't be able to pay the political and moral cost, if they keep on upholding their imputations." Regarding the conspiracy accusation of murder, he refuted that "this accusation will be made dust, because the innocence of these citizens is total and this we can prove." The five detained "were only collecting reports about terrorist activities, which groups of citizens of Cuban origin launched to oppose to the revolutionary process on the island from American territory." Since December 2000, each Saturday, at a different Cuban locality, popular protests are carried out against Washington's hostile policy against Havana. After delivering a speech lasting two hours, Castro's voice began to falter and he had to interrupt his speech because of the scorching heat. But he went back to the open tribunal 10 minutes later and assured the audience, "I'm fine, don't worry." "I could not finish (my speech), but I'll finish it this afternoon ... I'll rest a few hours," said the 74-year-old Cuban leader. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque quickly assumed the microphone and explained that Castro worked overnight without rest or eating any food. |
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