Havana, December 17 (RHC) Cuba recalls on this December 17th the completion of the return of the five anti-terrorist fighters unjustly imprisoned in US prisons.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro had predicted their arrival in a memorable speech in a rally held on June 23, 2001, in the municipality of Cotorro, Havana.

Fidel´s phrase “they will return!” materialized after more than a decade of a great solidarity campaign inside and outside of the Island demanding the release of the Cuban Five, as they are internationally known.

Fernando and René González, returned to the homeland in February and March 2014, respectively, while the release of Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero occurred on December 17 of the same year thanks to a humanitarian agreement reached between the governments of Washington and Havana.

The world heard the news by the simultaneous announcement made by  then Cuban presidents, Raúl Castro, and US president, Barack Obama, in statements in which they also announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between both nations.

During their years of imprisonment in the United States, serving unjust and excessive sentences resulting from rigged trials, the Cuban political prisoners suffered numerous violations of their human rights.

The injustice that surrounded their case provoked outrage and a great tide of international support that led to a massive campaign to demand the return.

In 2014, the Five received the Global Exchange Human Rights Annual Award, in the People Selected Award category.

Four years after their return, the Cuban Five continue to fight for their country, working in sectors that promote the development of the nation or in areas necessary to promote the disclosure of the reality of the island in the face of strong campaigns against its revolutionary process.