THEY’VE been sent to the punishment cells where they were held
                   without communication for their first 17 months of prison. It’s
                   unknown whether they’ve been denied news by radio, letters from
                   family members, or the possibility of communicating by telephone.
                   This brutal conduct by the United States authorities can be
                   associated with the visit of Attorney General John Ashcroft to Miami,
                   where he lunched with seven infamous members of the terrorist
                   Cuban-American mafia and later dined with the president of the
                   Cuban American National Foundation (CANF).

                   At approximately 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, Joaquín
                   Méndez, lawyer of Fernando González, communicated with Dr. Nuris
                   Piñeiro, director of specialized law services office in Havana, so that
                   she could tell his client’s family that he (Méndez) had visited the
                   federal prison in Miami where the five Cuban patriots are held, to
                   request a meeting with Fernando and the other four prisoners. They
                   only brought him Fernando, whom he defends, denying him
                   communication with the other four prisoners.

                   When the lawyer spoke with Fernando, the latter informed him that
                   since the Tuesday, June 25, the five Cuban patriots had been sent to
                   the punishment cells where they had been held during the first 17
                   months of imprisonment. Fernando told him that they had even done
                   the same with the five collaborators and friends who had agreed to
                   cooperate with the prosecution, and they did not know the reason
                   why, after they had been given the minimal penalty and special
                   consideration, were also put in isolation.

                   It is unknown if René, Ramón, Antonio, Gerardo and Fernando have
                   also been denied news by radio, written communication with their
                   families or any possibility of communicating by telephone.

                   This brutal conduct by U.S. authorities may be associated with the
                   visit to Miami of George W. Bush’s attorney general, John Ashcroft.
                   There he had a friendly lunch with seven renowned members of the
                   terrorist Cuban-American mafia and in the evening dined with the
                   president of the infamous Cuban American National Foundation,
                   Jorge Mas Santos.

                   It is futile for them to attempt to intimidate those heroic patriots,
                   who did not hesitate for one second during 17 months, while being
                   subjected to cruel and illegal prison procedures.

                   Cuba will continue to uncover, with every greater strength, the
                   cynical conduct of the U.S. government. We will demand the
                   liberation of those who have heroically fulfilled the duty of protecting
                   their country from terrorism planned and organized in that country
                   for 42 years, with the complicity and tolerance of their authorities.

                   The self-sacrificing family members of our heroic brothers Fernando,
                   Gerardo, René, Ramón and Antonio have been informed of this
                   news.

                   Any news received in the following days will be communicated to our
                   people. There will be no more silent heroism.

                   June 27, 2001 (5:50 p.m.)