Cuban Heroes Awarded in South African Trade Unions'' Congress

The five Cubans who were held in U.S. prisons for fighting terrorism received today the Elijah Barayi award, granted by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), in recognition of their impeccable work and resistance. The award was given to Cuban ambassador to South Africa, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, during the second day of the 12th National Conference of Cosatu, attended by more than 2,500 delegates.

A standing ovation was heard at the Gallagher de Midrand Conference Center in Johannesburg, when the names of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez, internationally known as the Cuban Five, were mentioned.

The speaker recalled that the Cuban Five visited South Africa in June this year, the first country they traveled outside the Western Hemisphere after all of them were released.

He also emphasized in elements of the history of those men, who served long and unjust sentences in U.S. prisons, and united them the fight against terrorism.

Fernandez de Cossio thanked Cosatu's gesture, on behalf of the Cuban Five, and reiterated the ties of friendship between Cuba and South Africa.