[On June 17, the "Miami Five" while in custody sent a message to the people of the US]
We have been accused of endangering the security of the United States and indicted on numerous charges, including crimes such as conspiracy to commit murder that could not, and cannot, be proven for they are false but for which we could be sentenced to dozens of years of imprisonment and even to life sentences.
A body of Miami jurors, and this explains it all, declared us guilty of all charges. But we are just Cuban patriots and it was never our intent to cause any harm to neither the values nor the integrity of the American people.
Our tiny nation, that has heroically survived four decades of aggressions and threats to its national security, of subversive plans, sabotages and destabilisation, has every right to defend itself from its enemies who keep using US territory to plan, organise and finance terrorist actions, breaking your own laws in the process. Our country is also entitled to peace, respect for its sovereignty and for our most sacred interests.
In the four years that we have spent in this country we have never stopped wondering why is it that our two peoples cannot live in peace and how is it possible that the mean interests of the extreme right, including terrorist groups and organisations made up by Cuban-Americans, can strain relations between two peoples that are so close geographically and that could easily maintain relations based on respect and equality.
In our prison stay we have had the time to reflect on our behaviour in this country and we can say, without the shadow of a doubt, that neither with our attitude nor our actions have we in any way interfered with, or jeopardized the security of the American people. What we have certainly done is contribute to exposing terrorist plans and actions against our people, thus preventing the death of innocent Cubans and Americans [3478 Cubans between 1959 and 1999].
Why is it necessary for Cuban patriots to stay away from their loved ones and postpone an otherwise joyful life with their families and people to discharge the honourable duty of protecting their homeland?
Why are the US authorities tolerant with these terrorists who act against our country? Why don't they investigate or take action against the terrorist plans denounced by Cuba or try to prevent the numerous attempts against the life of our leaders?
Why is it that the professed authors of these and other terrorist actions are still loose in South Florida as was clearly established during the trial?
Who trained them and who are allowing them to carry out their plans?
Who are those really endangering the security of the United States of America?