Cuban Five – Art Exhibition at Manchester Central Library

Antonio Guerrero’s beautiful and thought-provoking paintings are on display, 25 June to 19 July.

Gerado Hernandez Nordelo, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzales and Rene Gonzales have become known as the Cuban (or Miami) Five. They were convicted on charges ranging from acting as unregistered agents to conspiracy to murder. Three of them, Gerado, Ramon and Antonio have been sentenced to life in prison without parole. In the US this means they will never be released.

Their offence is to have infiltrated terrorist cells operating in Miami which in the 1980s had been orchestrating bombing campaigns in Cuba. This included the blowing up of a civilian airline flight.

There has been a huge international outcry amongst International Lawyers, Celebrities, Trade Unions and Human Rights organisations such as Amnesty International. The campaign has highlighted the injustice of the imprisonment and the total disregard for international conventions for fair trials.

Rene and Fernando have now been released from prison and thankfully are back home in Cuba with their families. However, they both served their full 15 year sentence and were subjected to the harsh penal system in the US. Both are now actively campaigning for their brothers’ release.

As part of the campaign a series of exhibitions of Antonio’s paintings are being staged across the world. The paintings depict the cruel and unjust treatment suffered by the 5 as they were held for 17 months in the notorious Miami Detention Centre, known as the ‘Hole’. Although portraying the horrific experience of the 5 Antonio’s painting are strangely beautiful and thought provoking.

UNISON has been a strong supporter of the campaign to free the 5 and have their convictions quashed. The region is extremely pleased to stage this exhibition in the magnificently refurbished Manchester Central Library.

The exhibition will run from Wednesday, 25th June until Saturday, 19th July on the first floor.

This is a wonderful opportunity to view Antonio’s paintings, hear about the campaign and visit the wonderful City Library.