DEVELOPING: The Cuban regime denied on February 12, 2026, that relatives of government figures are negotiating a transition with Washington, dismissing the reports as gossip, according to a statement reported by CiberCuba at approximately 7:46 PM to 8:15 PM UTC in the past 29 minutes (https://x.com/CiberCuba/status/2022033544046928132). This denial follows a Cuban regime official's earlier contradiction of his own claim to CNN about high-level U.S. contacts, as reported by opposition figure MagJorgeCastro in the prior reporting window from 6:46 PM to 7:15 PM UTC. CiberCuba linked to a detailed article on the regime's rejection of transition talks involving family members of officials (https://shrlnk.org/noticias/2026-02-12-u1-e207888-s27061-nid320723-regimen-cubano-niega-familiares-figuras-gobierno). The new denial aligns with ongoing repression in HolguĂn, where the Provincial Prosecutor's Office imposed pretrial detention on El4tico dissidents Ernesto Ricardo Medina and Kamil Zayas PĂ©rez earlier on February 12 for propaganda against the constitutional order, following their habeas corpus hearing amid a police siege, as previously reported by MagJorgeCastro and NGO CiudadanĂa y Libertad. No official U.S. statements or further Cuban government confirmations appear in sources during this short window. The developments occur amid routine U.S. Navy operations in the Caribbean, including an earlier collision involving USS Truxtun and USNS Supply, as reported separately.
