Cuba has freed all 53 prisoners in historic deal, says US
Last of detainees on list released over the weekend, setting positive tone for talks next week
Reuters in Washington and Havana-Monday 12 January 2015
Cuba has released all of the 53 prisoners it had promised to free as part of a deal with the US, senior American officials have said.
The release of the remaining prisoners sets a positive tone for talks next week aimed at normalising relations after decades of hostility.
The officials described the Cuban government’s release over the weekend of the last detainees on the list as a milestone but said they would keep pressing Havana to free more people whom the US considers political prisoners.
They did not say how many prisoners were released over the weekend or identify them, but said the White House would provide the names of all 53 to Congress and expected them to be made public.
There had been questions over whether Havana would release all 53 prisoners as part of the deal announced by Barack Obama and Raul Castro on 17 December to restore diplomatic ties.
Intense secrecy surrounding the 53 had fuelled scepticism over Cuba’s intentions and played to critics who said Washington had not applied enough pressure on Havana over human rights.
The US exchanged three convicted Cuban spies for an agent who had spied for the US government. It also received Alan Gross, a American aid worker jailed in Cuba.
