Cuba remembers the reunion of The Five in Havana

Havana, Dec 17. - On the 11th anniversary of the return to the homeland of Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero and Ramón Labañino, Cuba today remembers the reunion of The Five, as predicted by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro: "They will return!"

Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC, for its acronym in Spanish) and President of the Republic, evoked on X emotional moments of their arrival: the embrace of Army General Raúl Castro and of their families, the people's joy, and a chorus of "El Necio" with Silvio.

"Unforgettable welcome. Happy anniversary," concluded the head of state in his message, 11 years after Gerardo, Antonio and Ramón were released as part of a humanitarian agreement reached between the governments of the United States and Cuba.

René González and Fernando González had returned to the country in 2012 and 2014, respectively, after having served their sentences.

Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the PCC, stated on the same social network that the people made the cause of The Five their own, "many voices of solidarity in the world supported it and Raúl led it to its victorious conclusion on a day like today."

After their arrest in 1998, Gerardo, Antonio, Ramón, René and Fernando received severe sentences in the United States, allegedly for being part of a spy network in that country, when in reality they were preventing terrorist acts against Cuba.

On June 23, 2001, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro stated that they would return to their land, and as the case became known, the solidarity movement strengthened internationally, demanding justice.

Once in Cuba, The Five received the status of Heroes of the Republic and the Playa Girón Order. (Text and photo: ACN)