Richardson first traveled to Havana in January 1996 as a member of the House Intelligence Committee to discuss a wide range of issues, including human rights, the release of jailed dissidents and the fees Castro’s government was charging any Cuban who wanted to emigrate to the United States.

Although Richardson did not receive any promises from Castro, he received word from the Cuban ambassador to the United Nations that Castro would release four or five dissidents if Richardson went to Cuba to get them. Richardson returned to Havana and picked up three dissidents who were released from jail.