The return of the Five Heroes to their homeland on 17 December 2014 after more than 16 years of unjust imprisonment in the United States, was evoked here today in an emotional ceremony attended by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic.

That event, which victoriously crowned the epic battle of the Cuban people and millions of people around the world, confirmed Fidel’s words in 2001: «The innocence of those patriots is total. I tell them only one thing: they will return».

The promise made by the Commander-in-Chief, fulfilled by Army General Raúl Castro, was repeatedly recalled during the celebration in the presence of Roberto Morales Ojeda and other members of the Political Bureau, Cuba solidarity activists in various countries and Cubans who fought in the battle.

Relatives of the Five participated in the celebration in which Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez recalled the gigantic national and international mobilisations for the freedom of the Heroes.

He emphasised that the Cuban people embraced this cause in an extraordinary way in which, he said, the loyalty of the five patriots, their resistance, heroism and unbending fighting spirit were decisive.

He thanked the international solidarity support, the committees that worked tenaciously, trade unions, religious groups, trade unions, political forces and other organisations in what became a true campaign of the people, he said.

The Foreign Minister pointed out that the hostility of the US government has increased, and the struggle will continue until one day justice triumphs, the blockade is lifted and Cuba is removed from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, he remarked.

The Five – Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and René González – will continue to be an example, a source of inspiration and a supreme example of the courage of the heroic Cuban people, he concluded.

Gerardo spoke on behalf of his comrades, thanking all those who collaborated in the campaign, and expressed pride in the Revolution, which has not surrendered and never will, he said.

Those five young men now have grey hair, «but what has not changed and will never change is our loyalty to the homeland, to Fidel, Raúl and Díaz-Canel,» he said.

Graciela Ramírez and Gloria la Riva, coordinators of the Committees for the liberation of the Five at the international level and in the United States, respectively, also took part in the event.

They recalled moving stories of the epic struggle for the cause, paid tribute to comrades who are no longer present today, such as Ricardo Alarcón and Alicia Jrapko, and reaffirmed that they will continue to defend Cuba.

The closing of the vibrant day was the performance of La Colmenita, whose members included Gerardo’s three little ones, who read and gave them the original of a letter written for them from prison, «To my children who are about to be born».