ATTORNEY LEONARD WEINGLASS SURPRISED WITH DECISION ON CUBAN 5 RESENTENCING

Antonio Guerrero was re sentenced today per a decision by an appeals court that found the original sentences were excessive. Federal Judge Joan Lenard re sentenced him to 262 months (21 years, ten months) and five years probation. Antonio's attorney, Leonard Weinglass said, "I'm surprised with this decision.  We negotiated an agreement with the government in good faith which was to be 20 years. Hopefully he will be home in seven years." 

 The government had no evidence to show that the defendant obtained any top secret information.  The Judge said that he "wanted" to obtain such information. The Cuban Five have always maintained that they were in the United States to monitor Cuban exile groups planning terrorist attacks on Cuban soil. Cuba considers the five to be political prisoners.  There is currently a delay in the re sentencing of two other Cubans pending a probe into whether the U.S. government had determined if they had caused any damage to U.S. security.

Also, a son and daughter of Che Guevara are in South Africa participating in remembrance ceremonies of their father's death on October 8, 1967.  They will be meeting with government officials to ask them to advocate for the freedom of the Cuban Five in upcoming meetings with United States officials.