Rene Gonzalez, one of the so- called "Cuban Five" agents imprisoned in the United States for conspiracy and espionage, arrived on Friday in Havana after a U.S. judge authorized him to visit his sick brother on the island, Cuban National Television Newscast reported.

Gonzalez arrived in Cuba "minutes after noon on Friday," according to the local television.

"Our people respectfully welcome our dear Rene, and will continue fighting for his definitive return together with his four close brothers," said the Cuban Foreign Ministry in a statement.

Gonzalez's two-week trip to visit his gravely sick brother with cancer, was authorized on March 19 by U.S. Judge Joan Lenard from Florida South District Court.

Lenard's ruling came despite the U.S. Justice Department's objection that Gonzalez might contact the Cuban intelligence and get new secret tasks once he returns to the United States.

Gonzalez is one of the "Cuban five" agents, who are serving sentences in the United States on charges for espionage. Gonzalez fulfilled his sentence in October 2011. He was released but has to remain three years in U.S. territory on probation.

Cuba has rejected charges that the five were spies, insisting that they were monitoring anti-Cuban groups to impede potential terrorist acts against the island.