The Latin America House in Brazil on Wednesday conferred its Abreu and Lima Medal on the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly imprisoned in the United States for almost 12 years.

In a ceremony at the Society of Engineers and Architects of Rio de Janeiro, Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and Rene Gonzalez were honored by the Brazilian solidarity organization for defending their homeland and the entire planet from terrorist actions.

Even though spying charges against them were never proven, the Cuban Five, as they are universally known, are serving harsh sentences solely for gathering information on terrorist activities by right-wing extremist groups of Cuban origin in the U.S. city of Miami, according to a statement accompanying the decoration.

The international media, which unjustly accuses Cuba of violating human rights, has never spoken out against the injustice committed by the United States in the case of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters, the document notes.

After presenting the medal to Alexis Bandrich, adviser and second chief of the Cuban diplomatic mission in Brazil, physician and Latin America House member Murilo Alves stated that "those medals are very important, but insufficient for the greatness of those we are honoring today."

The statement noted that September 12 will mark 12 years of one of the worst injustices in history, because the Five were detained and then sentenced for fighting terrorism unleashed with impunity against Cuba from south Florida.

"The best tribute to the Five Heroes is to continue fighting for their release. What is left is to continue, as Bolivar said, fighting with perseverance, wisdom, and willingness, for their liberation, which is to fight for the full liberation of our peoples," the text states.