Cuba's government announced Thursday that it will release 51 people from its prisons. This unexpected move is a gesture of goodwill and reflects strong ties with the Vatican.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the releases would happen in the coming days. The government did not name the individuals but noted they have served a large part of their sentences and shown good behavior.
This announcement came just hours before Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was set to speak to the press. He planned to discuss national and international matters.
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Start Your News DetoxA History of Pardons
Cuba has a history of granting pardons. Since 2010, the government has pardoned 9,905 inmates. In the last three years, another 10,000 people sentenced to prison were released.
In January 2025, Cuba released well-known dissident José Daniel Ferrer. This was part of a plan to free over 500 prisoners after discussions with the Vatican. Ferrer later left Cuba in October and is now in the United States.
These releases began shortly after President Joe Biden's administration announced plans to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
It is not yet clear if any of the 51 people to be released are political prisoners. The group Prisoners Defenders reported 1,214 political prisoners in Cuba as of February 2026.
