Cuba honors two of The Five

René González and Fernando González, two of the five Cuban intelligence agents imprisoned in the U.S. since 1998 and released in the past year, were decorated in Havana with the Ministry of the Interior’s Order of 6 June, the Cuban Official Gazette announced Sunday (March 23).

The award was presented “in recognition of the dignified, firm and consistent behavior assumed since their detention as a result of having accomplished missions of penetration into groups of counter-revolutionary terrorists settled in the United States,” the announcement says.

It goes on to acknowledge the two men’s attitude “during the hard years of prison to which they were unjustly sentenced, during which they held very high their morale, discipline, bravery and elevated spirit of sacrifice and dedication.”

René and Fernando González (not kin to each other) were sentenced by a U.S. court in 2001 to 17 years in prison each. Their sentences were later reduced. Fernando was freed on Feb. 27, 2014, and René in 2011. However, René had to remain in the United States for three additional years before returning to Cuba.

The three other intelligence agents are still in prison: Gerardo Hernández, serving two life terms plus 15 years; Ramón Labañino, 30 years; and Antonio Guerrero, 21 years 10 months.

[Shown above are René González and Fernando González embracing.]