On the 11th anniversary of the return to their homeland of Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, and Ramón Labañino, Cuba today commemorates the reunion of the Five, as Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro predicted: “They will return!”
Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and President of the Republic, recalled on X the emotional moments of their arrival: the embrace of Army General Raúl Castro and their families, the popular joy, and the singing of “El Necio” by Silvio Rodríguez.
“An unforgettable welcome. Happy anniversary,” the Cuban president concluded 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, having served their sentences.
Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the PCC, noted on the same social media platform that the Cuban people embraced the cause of the Five, “many voices of solidarity around the world supported it, and Raúl carried it to its victorious end on this day.”
After their arrest in 1998, Gerardo, Antonio, Ramón, René, and Fernando suffered severe sentences in the United States, supposedly 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 declared that they would return to their homeland, and as the case became public, the international solidarity movement strengthened, demanding justice.
Once back in Cuba, the Five were awarded the title of Heroes of the Republic and the Order of Playa Girón.
IMAGE CREDIT: ACN | Taken from the X account of @DiazCanelB
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
