La Habana, February 25 (RHC) -- Cuban President Raúl Castro bestowed the distinction of Heroes of the Republic of Cuba and the Playa Giron Order on the Cuban Five at a special ceremony Tuesday afternoon in Havana.

Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, René González and Fernando González -- known internationally as the Cuban Five -- were arrested in Miami in September 1998 and sentenced to long prison terms for reporting on the activities of terrorist groups based in Florida.

René and Fernando fully served their prison sentences, while Gerardo, Ramon and Tony were freed on December 17th of last year and returned to Cuba.

The recognition was granted to the Five by Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power at a special session on December 29, 2001 -- when they were still imprisoned in the United States