Cuba to release 51 people from prison after talks with the Vatican

(Patria) - The Cuban government announced on Thursday evening that it will release 51 people from prisons on the island, an unexpected move, AP reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the release in the coming days stems from a spirit of goodwill and close relations with the Vatican.

The government did not identify who would be released, other than to say that "all have served a significant portion of their sentences and have behaved well in prison".

The government announced that since 2010, it has pardoned 9,905 prisoners.

It added that in the past three years, another 10,000 people sentenced to prison have been released.
In January 2025, Cuba released prominent dissident José Daniel Ferrer as part of a government decision to gradually release more than 500 prisoners after talks with the Vatican.