Cuban Five’s Fernando arrives in Havana

News sources are reporting that Fernando González, member of the Cuban Five released yesterday after serving 15 years, five months and 15 days in a U.S. prison in Arizona, arrived in Havana, Cuba, today (Friday).

Cuban television interrupted its programming earlier today (Feb. 28) to announce Gonzalez’s arrival, and stated, “The hero of the Republic of Cuba and antiterrorist fighter Fernando Gonzalez arrived at noon today in our country after completing fully a long and unjust sentence to which he was subjected in the United States.”

Fernando is the second of the Cuban Five members that has been released. The first was Rene Gonzalez who completed his prison term in 2011 and returned to the island in May of 2013.

The five are considered heroes in Cuba after being convicted in 2001 for conspiracy and failing to register as foreign agents. They were known as part of an intelligence network sent by Fidel Castro to perform espionage in southern Florida against groups planning terrorism against Cuba.

Prison Service spokesman Chris Burke said Fernando Gonzalez, known in the U.S. under his alias Ruben Campa, finished his sentence at 4 a.m. on Thursday at a prison in Arizona.

González was handed over to immigration authorities upon his release and flew to Havana the following day.