Spain: Morala and Carnero released from prison

After being granted a conditional release (a provisional release on the open regime while their application for a pardon is being heard) by the Penitentiaries authorities, Morala and Carnero have been released from prison.

From 3:30 in the afternoon, dozens of people came to the prison to await their release. Faced with the number of people who turned up, the prison authorities issued an order banning the presence of comrades and sympathizers of the two trade-unionists, preventing further people from arriving and demanding that those already there leave.

Before this happened, we had gathered at the main gate of the prison, carrying placards that read "Freedom for Candido and Morala". At 5:30, comrades Candido Gonzalez Carnero and Juan Manuel Martinez Morala exited the Villabona prison.

Visibly moved, and amongst applause and embraces, they headed to those present to thank them for their support while they were in prison and to show that they were well and in high spirits and that they would not stop the struggle. Afterwards they made their way to the offices of the Corriente Sindical de Izquierdas (Left Trade Union Current), where many more comrades were waiting for them.

We are very pleased that the two comrades have been released from prison, however, we know that they are not free. Although they are no longer in prison, they must report to the authorities every week, and their release from prison is the result of jail regulations and not their acquittal. We reaffirm our solidarity with the comrades, and commit to continue struggling until this attack on the rights of all workers has been withdrawn.

Letter from Cándido and Morala to El Militante

We received the following letter from Cándido and Morala written before their release in response to a letter from the El Militante editorial board on June 27.

Villabona,

July 3, 2007

Dear comrades of El Militante,

We received your letter here at the residence the plural left insisted on putting us in for our vacation. We thank you for your support and solidarity and the enormous efforts you put into the struggle here as well as internationally. It was great to know that beyond the walls there were thousands of people such as yourselves who went to a lot of effort to mobilize the working class, in whom we trust and are sure one day will react against the injustice and corruption of the bosses' unions.

What can we say from here? You are acting well and thoughtfully, because the most important thing at difficult times is to remain calm and achieve your goals step by step.

We are well, despite being deprived of our liberty. Our morale is high and we want to continue along the path with everyone such as yourselves who want to see a better world. All of your initiatives seem excellent, including any that include the question of the repression against Morala and Cándido, as we are but a link in the chains of repression.

Regarding the calling of a general strike, it seems to us that the UGT and CCOO will not want to call for it, but we agree that we should continue to publicly appeal to them to do so. The longer we stay in, the more pressure will be on them. We hope that our imprisonment will at least serve to open the door for the unity of action of all the forces of the left and that the developing struggle will also mean that no other worker will be imprisoned for defending their legitimate rights. That all of this is happening now, when we are celebrating 30 years of democracy, is sufficient reason to assess the present situation we find ourselves in, as well as the social model they want to impose on us.

We don't think that we can make any proposals from here as to what can be done for us.

We thank you for your efforts and hope that when we get our freedom back we can continue down the path towards the world that we all demand.

Greetings to all the comrades of El Militante,

Morala, Cándido

• Urgent solidarity: Spanish Trade Union leaders jailed (June 19, 2007)