Cuban Activists Released; US-Cuban Talks Set
Via the BBC: Cuba releases dozens of opposition activists
The Cuban authorities have released at least 36 opposition activists since Wednesday, according to dissident organisations.
They are believed to be from a list of 53 activists the United States requested to be freed as part of efforts to mend links.
More info at the link.
Of course, all is not liberation and rose down south:
Last week, the Cuban authorities detained several high-profile dissidents who were planning to stage an open microphone protest in Havana’s Revolution Square.
Also of interest:
On Thursday, the US announced that Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson would lead a delegation travelling to the capital, Havana, later this month.
These will be the first high level talks since Cuba and the US announced that they were restoring relations.
The US Department of State said the talks – to take place on 21 and 22 January – will focus on migration.
But they will also discuss the practicalities of reopening embassies in Washington DC and Havana, said the Department of State.
This will be a three steps forward, two steps back process. Of course, it won’t be LIBERACION with dancing girls greeting us with flowers and kissing the marines, but it will be slow progress.
@Stonetools: I don’t know about it being slow. I think this will be a floodgateS-opening type of thing. The Cuban nationalist lobby here will crumble, travel ban ends, and five years after that the Cuban government cannot crack down on demonstrations without hurting tourism.