Cuban spy renouncing US citizenship as part of deal to remain on island

HAVANA – A Cuban spy who served a long jail term in the United States has arrived at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana to renounce his American citizenship.

The move by Rene Gonzalez is part of a deal by Federal Judge Joan Lenard to allow him to stay in Cuba rather than complete the probation he was serving in the U.S.

Gonzalez arrived Monday afternoon at the U.S. Interests Section, which Washington maintains instead of an embassy.

The 56-year-old is one of the so-called "Cuban Five," intelligence agents convicted in 2001 of spying on U.S. military installations in South Florida, as well as exile groups and politicians.

The men are celebrated as heroes in Cuba, which says they were trying to prevent a wave of bombings by Miami-based militant groups.