Cuba will release 51 people from prison in an unexpected move

"Cuba's government said Thursday night that it would release 51 people from the island's prisons in an unexpected move. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the release in the upcoming days stems from a spirit of goodwill and close relations with the Vatican. The government did not identify who it would release, except to say that 'all have served a significant part of their sentence and have maintained good conduct in prison.'"

"In January 2025, Cuba released prominent dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer as part of a government decision to gradually free more than 500 prisoners following talks with the Vatican. Ferrer left Cuba last October and is now in the United States. He was one of several prisoners released in early 2025 as part of talks with the Vatican."

"The government said it has granted pardons to 9,905 inmates since 2010. It added that in the past three years, another 10,000 people sentenced to imprisonment were released."

Cuba's government announced the release of 51 prisoners in upcoming days, attributing the decision to goodwill and close relations with the Vatican. The released individuals have served significant portions of their sentences and maintained good conduct. This announcement precedes President Miguel Diaz-Canel's scheduled press conference addressing national and international issues. Since 2010, Cuba has granted pardons to 9,905 inmates, with an additional 10,000 released over the past three years. In January 2025, Cuba released prominent dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer as part of broader prisoner release negotiations with the Vatican, involving over 500 inmates. The releases coincided with the Biden administration's announcement to lift Cuba's state sponsor of terrorism designation. Prisoners Defenders reports 1,214 political prisoners remain in Cuba as of February 2026.

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