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Cuban authorities have released 14 people detained following the anti-government protests of July 2021, according to a non-governmental organisation. The announcement came on Saturday, a day after the organisation reported that only two detainees had been freed.
According to a Miami-based rights group, Cubalex, the releases are part of a goodwill gesture negotiated with the Vatican, which has often served as a mediator between Havana and Washington.
The development came shortly after President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuba was engaged in talks with the United States.
Credit: Vatican News.
The first prisoners were reportedly released on Friday as authorities acknowledged that discussions with Washington were underway, with increasing pressure from US President Donald Trump.
Another rights group, Justicia11J, said that as of Friday, there were still at least 760 political prisoners in Cuba, including 358 people detained in connection with the July 2021 protests. The demonstrations triggered a major government crackdown and led to hundreds of arrests.
Cuba’s communist government has repeatedly accused the United States of backing the protests in an attempt to destabilise the country’s one-party system.
In recent months, Trump has intensified pressure on Havana, including imposing an oil blockade in January that has further strained the country’s already struggling economy, which has long been affected by US trade sanctions.
