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14 June 2005
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Hands Off Venezuela
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A group of about 40 activists protested outside the US embassy in London on
Monday, June 13, demanding that Washington accepts the extradition request for
Posada Carriles to Venezuela. Cuban-Venezuelan Luis
Posada is wanted for blowing up an airliner in 1976, killing 73 people. He was
arrested last month in the US, which is refusing to hand him over to Venezuela,
where he escaped from jail. His partner in crime, Orlando Bosch, was given a
presidential pardon by Bush the Elder and now lives in Miami, where they have
named a street after him.
The protest picket, called jointly by Hands Off Venezuela, the Bolivian
Solidarity Campaign and the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, also highlighted the
hypocrisy of the US administration when it comes to dealing with
"terrorists".
In Colombia this year a total of seven US soldiers (including a colonel) have
been arrested for, between them, selling ammunition to right-wing paramilitaries
and attempting to smuggle cocaine into the US. Before the Colombian judiciary
could blink, they were whisked out of the country to prevent further
embarrassment and have not yet been charged with any crime.
Gonzalo
Sanchez de Lozada used to be President of Bolivia, before he ordered the
massacre of peaceful protesters in 2003 and fled to Miami to escape the furious
backlash. Bolivians want him tried for crimes against humanity, but that doesn't
seem likely while he's protected by the US government, who immediately granted
him political asylum.
The picket had been organised to coincide
with an immigration
hearing in El Paso, Texas, to decide Posada's fate. The case has become a major
headache for George Bush, as Posada is hailed as a hero amongst the rich
right-wing Castro-hating Miami Cubans who form a key component of his (and
especially his brother's) base of support. However, refusal to extradite Posada
will clearly make a mockery of the whole "War on Terror".
A group of about 40 activists protested outside the US embassy in London on
Monday, June 13, demanding that Washington accepts the extradition request for
Posada Carriles to Venezuela. Cuban-Venezuelan Luis
Posada is wanted for blowing up an airliner in 1976, killing 73 people. He was
arrested last month in the US, which is refusing to hand him over to Venezuela,
where he escaped from jail. His partner in crime, Orlando Bosch, was given a
presidential pardon by Bush the Elder and now lives in Miami, where they have
named a street after him.
The protest picket, called jointly by Hands Off Venezuela, the Bolivian
Solidarity Campaign and the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, also highlighted the
hypocrisy of the US administration when it comes to dealing with
"terrorists".
In Colombia this year a total of seven US soldiers (including a colonel) have
been arrested for, between them, selling ammunition to right-wing paramilitaries
and attempting to smuggle cocaine into the US. Before the Colombian judiciary
could blink, they were whisked out of the country to prevent further
embarrassment and have not yet been charged with any crime.
Gonzalo
Sanchez de Lozada used to be President of Bolivia, before he ordered the
massacre of peaceful protesters in 2003 and fled to Miami to escape the furious
backlash. Bolivians want him tried for crimes against humanity, but that doesn't
seem likely while he's protected by the US government, who immediately granted
him political asylum.
The picket had been organised to coincide
with an immigration
hearing in El Paso, Texas, to decide Posada's fate. The case has become a major
headache for George Bush, as Posada is hailed as a hero amongst the rich
right-wing Castro-hating Miami Cubans who form a key component of his (and
especially his brother's) base of support. However, refusal to extradite Posada
will clearly make a mockery of the whole "War on Terror".