Organizations Ask Pope Francisco to Mediate

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Pope Francisco with João Pedro Stedile from Brazil’s Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST)

From October 27-29 activist leaders gathered in the Vatican to participate in the first world meeting of popular movements called by Pope Francisco. During the proceedings the Pope received a letter asking him to encourage President Obama to release the three members of the Cuban 5 remaining in US prisons. The letter stressed urgency in the hope that Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero could be home to be with their love ones for the upcoming holiday season. The letter was signed by the Landless Workers Movement of Brazil, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center of Cuba, and the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5.

This is the second time recently that the Pope has received  a request on behalf of the Five. In September, in an audience with the Pope, Father Antonio Tarzia, President of the Association Cassiodoro and Director of the magazine Jesus, and Professor Luciano Vasapollo, of the University La Sapienza of Rome, delegate of the Rector for International Relations with the Alba Countries, delivered a similar letter urging the Pope to intervene in the case.