Cuban Hero Gerardo Hernández Expresses Appreciation for Radio Havana Cuba's Support of the Five's Cause

Cuban anti-terrorist Gerardo Hernández, Hero of the Republic of Cuba, thanked Radio Havana Cuba for its support to the international campaign to win his release and that of his other four compatriots from U.S. prisons.

Gerardo attended a ceremony Tuesday on occasion of the 54th anniversary of Radio Havana Cuba –- Cuba's only shortwave radio station.

Tuesday's activity also served to pay homage to two Radio Havana Cuba journalists, Irish Bernie Dwyer and French Marie Dominique Bertuccioli, who dedicated their lives and efforts to the Cuban Five's cause, but who passed away in recent years and didn't live to see their release.

During the ceremony, a bust of Uruguayan General José Gervasio de Artigas was also unveiled and placed at the entrance of the radio station, as a symbol of the friendship and solidarity between the Uruguayan and Cuban peoples.

Also on hand were members of the Uruguayan diplomatic mission here in Cuba and citizens of the South American nation who reside in Havana.

Upon thanking the Uruguayan people for their support for and solidarity with the cause of the Cuban Five, Gerardo Hernández recalled those years in U.S. prisons, when amid countless difficulties of all kinds and after several failed attempts, he managed with the help of other inmates to listen to the shortwave frequencies of Radio Havana Cuba.

He stressed that every time he listened to the station's ID and the national anthem, he was filled with emotion and strength to continue the struggle.

Gerardo Hernandez said: “I want to take this opportunity to thank Radio Havana Cuba. Even before we were arrested in the United States, we already knew what Radio Havana Cuba meant to other political prisoners in other parts of the world, we knew about RHC's work in favor of other just causes and we admired you for that. Now after the 16 years that we spent in U.S. prisons, during which Radio Havana Cuba also played an important role in the struggle to win our release, we are even more proud of Radio Havana Cuba and more thankful to all of the station's journalists and workers. Thanks also to our Uruguayan brothers and sisters, who were very supportive throughout all these years of our unjust imprisonment.”

During Tuesday's visit to Radio Havana Cuba, Gerardo Hernández was also interviewed live for the program “Cuba On-line,” an opportunity he seized to also thank Radio Havana Cuba's listeners worldwide for their support -– “the jury of millions” as Gerardo himself called the world solidarity movement with the Cuban Five's cause.