Once Again the U.S. Prevents Progressive Journalist from Boarding a Plane

By Graciela Ramírez Cruz on September 9, 2018

Hernando Calvo Ospina

Today our friend and colleague Hernando Calvo Ospina was scheduled to arrive in Havana to continue with the research for his documentary about the attack on the French cargo ship La Coubre in Havana harbor on March 4, 1960 that killed more than 100 people. The project is being sponsored by Resumen Latinoamericano.

Unfortunately he was not allowed to board a Cors Air plane in France because of the false notion that they had to contact Cuba for authorization for Ospina to enter the country, even though he had received a visa from Cuba the day before with no problems. The airline also refused to refund him the 500 euros it cost for the ticket.

Ospina has traveled to Cuba and Venezuela on dozens of occasions where he is respected for his films and solidarity with the two countries.

As a Colombian journalist, researcher and documentary filmmaker living in France, he has participated as a panelist and lecturer in countless international cultural and political events. He has been interviewed by TeleSUR, the program Dossier and the Cuban nightly news program Round Table. His movies include, “Blockade, the Longest Genocide in History”; “All Guantánamo is Ours” and “Venezuela: the Shadow Agenda”.  Hernando Calvo Ospina is also a part of the Network of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity.

He has publicly denounced the criminal activity of Miami-based terrorist organizations, the right wing government of Colombia and the aggressions of imperialism against Venezuela and Cuba. It seems that Ospina’s advocacy for truth, justice and peace in the world is enough to get him on the do not fly list of the U.S. government. Meanwhile well documented terrorists living in South Florida are allowed to fly and walk freely in the streets there.

It was revealed that in this case the U.S. used its exceptional jurisdiction to say who can fly and who can’t, even on Ospina’s direct flight from France to Cuba that crossed over U.S. air space for a whole 5 minutes.

This type of petty discrimination and harassment is an inconvenient delay but it will never be able to shake or prevent the continuous and unconditional solidarity of people like Hernando Calvo Ospina.

https://cubaenresumen.wordpress.com/2018/09/09/nuevamente-estados-unidos-impide-a-hernando-calvo-ospina-subir-a-un-avion/

Source: Resumen Latinoamericano, translation North America bureau.