After being released in the early hours of Thursday, Fernando González arrived in Cuba at noon today.
He was received at the José Martí airport by President Raul Castro, his mother and his wife Magalis Llort and Rosa Aurora Fraijanes, respectively, among other relatives. Also present was René González, the first of The Five that was released, who, contrary to Fernando, was not allowed to return to the island immediately.
In his first statement to the press, González, who was granted the status of Hero of the Republic of Cuba, said, “happiness is great but lacks a bit because my brothers Gerardo, Ramon and Tony aren’t here yet, when they pass through this time and we all meet, then happiness will be complete.”
To his comrades, still serving time, went the first message of thanks from Fernando: ” They do not know how hard and how much energy we got to see the attitude with which they faced these facts, and after learning how they faced it individually in prison ” .
At the same time he took the opportunity to apologize to all those who sent cards and messages of support during his imprisonment , mainly children and young people , highlighting that materially for both him and his “brothers” , it was impossible to answer every correspondence.
Fernando said that on leaving prison he was expected by the U.S. immigration service, who just took the cuffs off when the plane landed on Cuban soil. “It was there that I felt a real sense of freedom, when the plane landed and walked down the stairs” he said.
Gonzalez, age 50, was initially sentenced to 19 years in prison, which was then reduced to 17 and 9 months with the appeal in 2008 and finally left in 15 years, five months and 15 days for good behavior.
Photo: Roberto Suarez / Juventud Rebelde
Fernando González Llort remarks upon his arrival in Havana
