Code Pink resumes Miami campaign against Posada Carriles

The women’s peace group Code Pink resumed its struggle on Saturday to demand the incarceration of the notorious and self-confessed terrorist Luis Posada Carriles

The women’s peace group Code Pink demanded the incarceration of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles in Miami. Photo: ReutersZoom

WASHINGTON.— The women’s peace group Code Pink resumed their Most Wanted campaign on Saturday, demanding the incarceration of terrorist Luis Posada Carriles.

The campaign began on January 12 in this city in the state of Florida, but it was interrupted when activists were violently harassed by members of terrorist organizations based in this city during a public demonstration in front of the Versailles restaurant, the meeting place of the most reactionary and anti- Cuban groups in Miami.

Code Pink—made up of around 150,000 people organized in 250 groups in cities in the United States and other countries—demands the George W. Bush administration include Posada on the FBI’s list of the most wanted terrorists and extradite the criminal to Venezuela to be tried for blowing up a Cuban aircraft in October 1976, killing the 73 people on board, and for his involvement in crimes committed by Venezuelan DISIP secret police force.

Several anti-Cuban groups have organized demonstrations against the anti-war group, according to a Prensa Latina news report. Among the groups are Vigilia Mambisa, Alpha 66 and a coalition of the called Presidio Político Histórico, which were granted permission to gather their members at the Versailles restaurant on Miami’s Calle Ocho (8th Street) and protest against Posada Carriles on Saturday.

“Unfortunately, Miami has a long story of tolerance to attacks against the freedom of expression,” said Medea Benjamín, founder and co-director of the Code Pink group. She said she was determined to defend the rights of free speech and assembly.

According to their announcement, the group planned to present the documentary Posada Carriles: Terrorism Made in the USA on Sunday at the International University of Florida. The film is by Venezuelan filmmaker Ángel Palacios, and tells the story of Posada and his link with the CIA.

On Friday, Medea Benjamín published an article in Common Dreams.org entitled “Our Terrorist in Miami” in which she slams the criminal acts committed by Posada Carriles throughout his life; among them, in addition to blowing up of the Cuban plane, were the planting of bombs in Havana hotels and plans to kill President Fidel Castro while he was speaking at a mass rally at the University of Panama during the 10th Ibero.American Summit in December, 2000.