Alan Gross, a US citizen sentenced in Cuba from 2011 to 15 years in prison for espionage, was released today, confirmed the news agency AP.
The case of Alan Gross has been seen as a central point for a possible improvement of relations between the US government and Cuba in recent years.
Havana had repeatedly expressed the wish to establish a dialogue with Washington on a possible swap between the US contractor and the three Cuban agents imprisoned in US jails, based on “humanitarian concerns of both governments and their families”.
Although it has not been made official, several international media report that three Cubans, the group known as the Five, were released as part of this exchange.
According to CNN, the release of Gross by Cuba was accompanied by an exchange of prisoners. “Cuba also freed a US intelligence source who has been imprisoned in that country for over 20 years, although authorities did not identify that person for security reasons,” he adds.
Both Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama will deliver at noon today to address the issue.
