First Female Cosmonaut Urges Obama to Free the Cuban Five

HAVANA TIMES — The world’s first woman cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova, on Saturday appealed to US president Barack Obama to heed international demands for the release of five Cubans convicted 14 years ago in that country.

“Those five Cubans fought for their country, Cuba, an independent and sovereign nation that has its own history; so I am appealing to him to review the request for their immediate release,” said Tereshkova on a video released on the occasion of World Solidarity Day.

According to the Prensa Latina news agency, the video was recorded by the online alternative channel “TV Roja.” In that interview, Tereshkova also discussed expressions of solidarity from her country and affirmed her support for the Cuban Revolution.