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RONALD SUAREZ RIVAS AND ALBERTO BORREGO AVILA (photo), special correspondents

CARACAS, September 12.— Activities for the International Campaign to Free the Cuban Five began Wednesday in Caracas with the reading of a letter to the people of Venezuela from Rene Gonzalez, one of the five men imprisoned in the United States for fighting terrorism.

DURING THE RALLY, FIVE WHITE DOVES WERE RELEASED AS A SYMBOL OF THE STRUGGLE TO FREE THE FIVE, A SYMBOLIC ACTION THAT TOOK PLACE IN CITIES AROUND THE WORLD.A host of Venezuelan parliamentarians, scholars, students, workers, joined by Cubans working in the South American country’s different social programs, expressed their support for the campaign at the public gathering held in the Simon Bolivar Plaza in the capital.

Conferences, neighborhood discussions and a marathon against terrorism are some of the activities planned in Venezuela during the campaign that officially ends on October 8.REPORTS FROM AROUND THE WORLDThe new campaign to free the Cuban Five began yesterday in more than 50 countries.

In La Paz, Bolivia, hundreds of Bolivians gathered in front of the US embassy after marching in downtown streets. Included among the participants were young people who have graduated from Cuban universities, relatives of Bolivian students currently studying on the island, and Cubans residing in Bolivia, reported Prensa Latina.In Japan, a press conference on the case took place where information was provided on the numerous irregularities that took place during the Cuban Five’s detention and politicized trial in hostile Miami.

The reasons why the Cubans were in the US to gather information on terrorist plots against the island was also presented to the media. Demonstrations of support also took place Wednesday in the United States, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Lebanon, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.In Africa, the Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Association officially joined the campaign.

The World Federation of Trade Unions called on its members to ask their national solidarity committees to support the cause of the Cuban Five at workplaces, institutions and education centers.