Cuban authorities on Friday began a prisoner release negotiated with the Vatican and confirmed that talks were underway with the United States amid intense pressure from US President Donald Trump.

Havana has described the prisoner releases as a "goodwill" gesture to the Vatican. There was little other information about the identity of those being freed or their criminal records.

During a meeting with top Cuban officials, broadcast live on national television, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Havana was negotiating with Washington, but gave little away about the nature of the talks.

"Cuban officials recently held discussions with representatives of the United States government," he said, confirming negotiations first revealed by Trump in mid-January.

"These conversations have been aimed at seeking solutions – through dialogue – to the bilateral differences," he added.

Mexico's left-wing president welcomed the development.

"Good. Mexico has always pushed for peace and diplomatic dialogue – particularly given the injustice of the blockade against the Cuban people for all these years," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters.

In January, Trump placed the island under a US oil blockade, strangling its fuel supply on the basis of what he called the "extraordinary threat" posed by Cuba to the United States. This comes on top of a decades-long economic embargo by Washington. (AFP)



Edited by Robert Kemp