The US State Department has announced that Cuban authorities
have released some of nearly 53 political prisoners on Washington’s
list.
The department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said on
Tuesday that the US government wanted to see the release of all those on
its list of political activists held by Havana but refused to elaborate
on the identity of those freed so far.
"They have already
released some prisoners... Obviously we would like to see this completed
in the near future," said Psaki, adding, "This list is not to be seen
as the end of our discussion on human rights with the government of
Cuba."
The development comes following a historic move last month
by US President Barack Obama, ordering his administration to begin a
process of re-establishing normal ties with its southeastern neighbor
after decades of hostile relations that included imposing sanctions on
the tiny island nation.
This month, meanwhile, Cuban and US officials are due to meet in the Cuban capital of Havana for talks on renewing ties.
This
is while Republican Party critics of the Obama administration have
raised concerns about alleged human rights abuses in the Latin American
country.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio demanded the postponement
of talks, scheduled for this month, until the release of all political
prisoners in Cuba.
Rubio and other Cuban-American members of the
US Congress, who are staunchly anti-Havana, insist that Obama's change
of policy could provide Cuba with legitimacy and money while it
continues with its alleged human rights violations.
He further stressed that he and fellow party members would seek to slow or block Obama’s moves towards normalizing Cuba ties.
The US State Department has announced that Cuban authorities have released some of nearly 53 political prisoners on Washington’s list
Jokpeme Joseph Omode stands as a prominent figure in contemporary Nigerian journalism, embodying the spirit of a multifaceted storyteller who bridges history, poetry, and investigative reporting to champion social progress. As the Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Alexa News Nigeria (Alexa.ng), Omode has transformed a digital platform into a vital voice for governance, education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in Africa. His career, marked by over a decade of experience across media, public relations, brand strategy, and content creation, reflects a relentless commitment to using journalism as a tool for accountability and societal advancement.
