U. S. tells Cuba to free political prisoners
By: Francesca Chambers
USA Today
WASHINGTON - The U.S. has given Cuba a two-week deadline to release high-profile political prisoners as a gesture of good faith, as part of the Trump administration's broader demands for economic and political reforms on the island.
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The demand was presented during a secret meeting April 10 [2026] in Cuba, according to a source familiar with the discussion.
..... Some of the names floated for release included Luis Manuel Otero Alcantaraadn Maykel Osorbo, dissident artists from the San Isidro movement who were sentenced in 2022.
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In a statement to USA today, a State Department spokesperosn said the Trump administraiton remains committed to the releases of all poliitcal prisoners, including Alcantara and Osorbo.
..... The spokesperson pointed to President Donald trump's remarks at an April 17 [2026] rally that a "new dawn for Cuba' is coming and said the regime should stop playing games as direct talks are occurring. The Cuban government has a small window to make a deal, the person said.
..... A senior State Department delegation traveled to Cuba on April 10 [2026] for talks with the government, a State Department official confirmed to USA Today. A senior State Department official also had a separate meeting with former Cuban leader Raul Castor's grandson during the visit, the person said.
..... "It was the first time that a U.S. government aircraft had landed in Cuba since. 2016. Axios was the first news outlet to report that the meetings took place.
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The officials told the Cuban government that the island's economy is in free fall and its ruling elites had a narrow window to make reforms before circumstances irreversibly worsen, the State Department official said. The person said that Trump is committed to pursuing a diplomatic solution, if one is possible, but will not allow the island to collapse into what he views as a major national security threat, if Cuba's leaders are unwilling or unable to act.
..... At the meeting, the United States proposed to bring Starlink's high-speed Internet services to Cuba. But the officials said Havana needs to enact reforms that will make Cuba's economy more competitive and attractive to foreign investment. They also pushed for compensation of Americans and American-owned businesses that had their property confiscated and a lifting of constraints on political freedoms.
..... It was after that meeting that Castro's grandson, Raul Guillernor Rodriquez Castro, tapped a Cuban businessman to personally bring a letter to the White House, bypassing official channels.
..... The man, Roberto Carlos Chamizo Gonzalez, was intercepted in Miami, as first protruded by the Wall Street Journal.
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Tensions have been escalating between the United States and Havana for weeks, with Trump warning of the potential for a hostile takeover.
..... In recent weeks, Trump has said he believed he'd have the "honor of taking Cuba" and the United States "may stop by Cuba" after the war with Iran.