Cuba releases prisoners and confirms talks with USAFP, HAVANACuba’s communist authorities on Friday began a prisoner release negotiated with the Vatican and confirmed that talks were underway with Washington amid intense pressure from US President Donald Trump. Cuba on Thursday said that it would release 51 prisoners after talks with the Holy See, which has in the past acted as mediator between Havana and Washington. Justice 11J, which tracks arrests since the 2021 protests, said there are at least 760 political prisoners in Cuba. The unusual show of clemency came hours after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed that his government was in talks with the US. Trump last weekend predicted that Cuba “is going to fall pretty soon” and told CNN: “They want to make a deal so badly.”

Source: Taipei Times March 14, 2026 18:10 UTC