Cuba-US deal: Cuba releases first prisoner after deal

Speaking at his Senate nomination hearing on Wednesday, Rubio said referring to some of the sanctions on Cuba that the Biden administration rescinded on Tuesday that “the new administration is not bound by that decision”.

Earlier, Trump’s choice for national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said on Fox News that “whatever they (the Biden administration) did today, we can do it again, and nobody should be under any illusions about changes in the Cuban policy “.

Despite doubts raised by Trump administration officials, Cuba released about 20 prisoners on Wednesday, according to local NGOs.

One of those freed is Donaida Pérez Paseiro, 53, who has been sentenced to eight years in prison for taking part in anti-government protests in 2021, when citizens demanded that the Cuban government do more to ease widespread food shortages and. prices spiral down.

In a video posted on social media, Ms Pérez Paseiro said the Cuban government had used her and fellow prisoners as “bargaining chips” to leverage Cuba’s removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

In the recording, he also said that he would continue to “fight for the freedom of Cuba”.

Dariel Cruz García was also among those released on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sedition after joining the 2021 protests.

He told Reuters that officials had announced he could serve the rest of his sentence – which has been reduced since he was convicted – at home.

“I escaped from hell to be with my family. I will behave myself so that I can move on,” he said to the news agency.