The treatment of the Catholic Church in Yugoslavia was harsh even after the Tito–Stalin split, and in 1952 Yugoslavia and the Holy See cut the diplomatic relations because of Stepinac's elevation to cardinalate. The American bishops, urged by Nuncio Joseph Patrick Hurley, asked the President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Secretary of State John Foster Dulles to intervene on Čule's behalf. The Archbishop of Belgrade Josip Ujčić also warned the state authorities that it wouldn't be good for their reputation if a bishop would die in their prison. On 29 October 1955, the prison secretary Vojo Čolović informed Čule that he would be released, even though "he hasn't improved", and would be transferred to the Franciscan friary in Tolisa. Čolović conditioned his release by a formal petition, which Čule refused to write claiming his innocence. Nevertheless, Čule was released the next day, on 30 October 1955.
