Declaration by Cubans in the UK about the freeing of the Cuban Five

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Cubans living in Britain share the joy of our people and of the international solidarity community in celebrating the return to our homeland of Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero and Gerardo Hernández, and the immense satisfaction of seeing them embrace their loved ones, their families, neighbours and the big family of the Cuban Five. There have been years of unrelenting struggle, of hopes, of discovering new friends and international organisations that joined the campaign for justice. For his courageous and honest gesture our people and Cubans who reside abroad respect Barak Obama and will we always remember.

At the same time, a new chapter in relations between Cuba and the United States opens. After more than five decades of a policy that is fruitless and painful for the Cuban people - the financial, economic and commercial blockade by the United States of our country - President Obama appears to be working towards the normalisation of relations between both countries. Cubans in the UK wish to express our optimism and conviction that these steps will lead to a better future for our peoples, a new era in which we focus on working together on those aspirations that unite us and not what divides us, and that mutual respect will lead us to cooperate on the problems facing humanity.

We wish to express our appreciation to Pope Francis for his huge contribution in this process, for his confidence and wisdom. Likewise we extend our special thanks to all those individuals, political and humanitarian organisations, and to the governments that for many years in the United Nations have voted for the abolition of the US blockade of Cuba.

We remain optimistic and celebrate a better future.

Cubans in the UK