[Ppnews] Calle 13 Band Leader Says the Cuban Five Must Return Home

[Political Prisoner News]

<http://lchirino.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/calle-13-band-leader-says-the-cuban-five-must-return-home/>Calle 
13 Band Leader Says the Cuban Five Must Return Home

http://lchirino.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/calle-13-band-leader-says-the-cuban-five-must-return-home/

South Journal, March 22, 2010

In a spontaneous meeting with journalists upon 
his arrival in Havana, on Sunday, Calle 13 
musician Rene Perez told reporters that he 
supported the release of 
<http://www.freethefive.org/>the Five Cuban 
antiterrorist fighters held in US jails for over 10 years now.

“I hear from them (<http://www.thecuban5.org/>The 
Cuban Five) through my dad; he tells me about 
them because he learned about them. The case is 
quite difficult; there are Five there (in the 
USA), so we have to see what we can do to get an 
agreement that brings them back,” said Rene Perez 
in conversation with 
<http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2010/03/21/hay-que-ver-que-se-puede-hacer-para-que-los-cinco-regresen-a-cuba-dice-rene-perez/>Cubadebate.

Rene Perez and Eduardo Cabra arrived in Havana 
onboard a Copa flight coming from Venezuela. 
Perez said “we are very happy and we are eager to 
enjoy with the Cuban people and learn from the 
people and take a tour here on the streets
I want 
to meet people, brother, and I want to see <http://www.cuba.cu/>this country.”

He said his family loves Cuba and he noted “My 
dad came back in the 1980´s, my sister who is 
around here, came to work here at solidarity 
camps. We have always had a connection with Cuba 
through music and cinema. We are just right there, very near.”

The band leader said that they are scheduled to 
visit the Carlos Muñiz Varela elementary school 
in the locality of San Antonio de los Baños, 
“because Carlitos Muñiz was a friend of my 
family. You know, my name is Rene but I was going 
to be named Carlos after Carlos Muñiz, because he 
was one of my dad’s closest friends. My dad has a 
friend called Rene and I was finally named Rene. 
There is a close relationship between my family 
and Carlitos´; we always follow the work of Carlitos´ father.

Carlos Muñiz, a Cuban who migrated to Puerto 
Rico, was murdered in the capital San Juan on 
April 28, 1979 by the Omega 7 terrorist 
organization, which was opposed to any 
relationship between Cuban émigrés with their 
country. His murderers are still unpunished.

Rene also said that he opposes all blockades, 
including 
<http://www.cubaminrex.cu/bloqueo/start.htm>the 
economic, commercial and financial blockade 
maintained by the United States against Cuba. 
“Blockades are negative in all their aspects. We 
Puerto Ricans are not affected, except for 
traveling here; however, there are worst things 
affecting us in Puerto Rico,” Rene said.

He said they decided to give their concert at 
Havana’s Anti-Imperialist Tribune because the 
place “has a poetic, historic meaning and it is 
in front of the sea. I will enjoy its aesthetic 
and physical aspect. The concert will take place 
in the afternoon, so it is going to be good.”

The Calle 13 concert will take place March 23 at 
5 pm. The band is made up of 25 members who will 
be joined by Cuban Kelvis Ochoa.

The Puerto Rican band was invited by the Cuban 
Music Institute. The visitors will stay for four 
days in Cuba and will later travel to Miami, 
where they will give another concert: “I have 
many Cuban friends there. We bring our music to 
many parts of the world, but Miami is the place 
where we have not played our music that many times.”

They will also meet with Cuban and other Latin 
American artists at Havana’s 
<http://www.casadelasamericas.org/>Casa de Las 
Americas cultural institution, and will visit the 
International TV and Cinema School, in San Antonio de los Baños.




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