[NYTr] Cuba's July 26th Celebrated in New York

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Workers World -Aug 9, 2007 issue
http://www.workers.org/2007/world/july26-0809

July 26 celebrated in NYC

by Naomi Cohen

There was a full house in the Local 1199 union hall in New York on July
27 to celebrate July 26 in solidarity with Cuba. The meeting was
dedicated to the memory of Che Guevara and Vilma Espín, a leader of the
July 26 Movement and head of the Federation of Cuban Women who died
recently.

Rodolfo Benítez, Cuba’s charge d’affairs at its United Nations mission,
gave the keynote speech. Benítez reviewed the meaning of July 26 for
Cuba, citing the many accomplishments of the revolution in spite of the
continuing U.S. blockade.

Attorney Leonard Weinglass reported on the status of the legal case of
the Cuban 5, held since September 1998 in U.S. prisons for the “crime”
of trying to prevent terrorist attacks on their country. Also
addressing the meeting were Elombe Brath from the Patrice Lumumba
Coalition; Larry Hamm, People’s Organization for Progress in New
Jersey; Antonio Negrón, former Puerto Rican political prisoner; and
Victor Toro of La Pena del Bronx and a well-known Chilean activist who
has been targeted by the U.S. government for deportation.

Bill Maher, a 9/11 volunteer who was one of the first responders
featured in Michael Moore’s documentary “SiCKO,” recounted how he had
believed the U.S. government lies about Cuba until he had the
opportunity to travel there and experience firsthand the free medical
care offered. “I was treated with the utmost respect and dignity in
Cuba,” he said. This was in sharp contrast to the complete lack of care
he got from the U.S. government.

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