Madrid, September 23 (PL-RHC) –- Cuban hero Fernando Gonzalez denounced the psychological mistreatment suffered during his imprisonment and the arbitrary nature of the trials against The Cuban Five. In an interview published by the Spanish newspaper Público, Fernando, who is also vice president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), said that the U.S. government is apparently bent on the destruction of the socialist project in Cuba.

Fernando referred to the current state of the case of his comrades Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino and Antonio Guerrero, who were arrested in 1998 and given unfair, harsh sentences in U.S. prisons for monitoring U.S.-based violent groups operating against Cuba. He said appeals filed four years ago by lawyers of the Cuban Five have not had any response by legal authorities.

Fernando and Rene Gonzalez are back in Cuba after having served fully their sentences, handed down during a trial which was termed arbitrary by a panel of United Nations legal experts.

In the interview, Fernando said that he considers himself, along with Rene, Gerardo, Antonio and Ramon, as political prisoners held in the United States.

Fernando said that although they were not subject to physical aggression, they were mistreated psychologically, above all during 17 months when they were kept in solitary confinement under very restrictive conditions.