TENSIONS

Obama, Castro Spar on Political Prisoners

During joint press conference in Havana.

During a historic Monday joint press conference in Havana, President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro got into a heated exchange about the imprisonment of Cuban political dissidents. "I’ve met with people who have been subject to arbitrary detention and that’s something that I generally have to speak on because I hear from them directly and I know what it means for them," Obama said in response to a question about human rights. Castro, frustrated with the answer, said "What political prisoners?" He then proceeded to demand names from the president and said he'd have them freed "before tonight ends." Earlier in the event, Castro suggested the United States holds "double standards" when it comes to human rights.