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Havana will not discuss releasing political prisoners as part of negotiations with the United States, a Cuban diplomat said, rejecting U.S. “ultimatums” and describing detainee issues as internal matters. Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations Ernesto Soberón Guzmán made the remarks in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, as Havana and Washington continue a diplomatic effort that has recently resumed after years of hostility.
Guzmán said Cuba would not comply with any American demand to link prisoner releases to the talks. In the interview, he said internal issues regarding detainees “are not on the negotiating table,” adding that Cuba has its own legal system, just as the United States has its own.
“We have our legal system, like here in the U.S., they have their legal system,” Guzmán said. “So we have to respect both of our internal affairs.”
The State Department responded to Guzmán’s comments by saying it remains focused on political prisoner releases. In a statement, the department said the administration remains “committed to the release of all political prisoners,” and it added that Cuba “should stop playing games as direct talks are occurring,” describing Havana’s “small window to make a deal.”
The diplomatic exchange took place during secret meetings in Havana that began after an American delegation arrived on April 10. Guzmán said the discussions were held at the undersecretary of state level on the American side and the deputy foreign minister level on the Cuban side, while neither side publicly named the participants.
Despite the diplomatic channel, tensions have continued to rise in recent months, Guzmán said, as the United States maintains an energy blockade that he said has worsened economic and other crises in Cuba. The blockade, he said, has deepened poverty and increased hunger as severe water and power shortages persist, with blackouts continuing.
In the interview, Guzmán also addressed other issues the U.S. raised during the meetings, including concerns about foreign powers influencing the island. He also confirmed that discussions included proposals to compensate Cuban Americans for legal claims involving homes, businesses and land that were seized after Fidel Castro took power in 1959.
Guzmán said Havana is receptive to compensation discussions, but he linked the prospect to reciprocal economic relief for the decadeslong economic embargo. “There is not only this claim but also the claim from our side because the embargo has an economic impact,” he said, adding that it is “a highway with two directions.”
He also sought to describe Cuba’s expectations as cautious amid U.S. threats. Asked whether Cuban officials can trust diplomatic efforts, Guzmán said Cuba is optimistic about creating a “new approach” to U.S.-Cuban relations, but he said the Trump administration’s foreign policy approach in the last year has left Havana “on high alert,” citing what he called events across the region and in the Middle East.
“We have been seeing what is happening all around the world, in our region, in the Middle East, so we are not a naive person,” Guzmán said. “We are preparing for all the scenarios. And I insist, our first option — what we really want — is a successful dialogue with the U.S. government.”
Guzmán added that if U.S. military aggression were to happen, Cuba would respond, saying, “we are ready to fight back.”