Cuba to Release 51 Inmates Citing Vatican Ties

Cuba's government announced late Thursday that it plans to release 51 inmates from the country's prisons in the coming days, citing goodwill and longstanding ties with the Vatican as the motivation for the decision.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the individuals selected have served substantial portions of their sentences and demonstrated good behavior while incarcerated. Officials did not disclose the identities of those to be freed, leaving open questions about whether any are among the political prisoners held on the island. This move follows a pattern of periodic amnesties, with the government reporting that it has issued pardons to 9,905 inmates since 2010. Over the past three years alone, an additional 10,000 people serving prison terms have been released through similar measures.

The announcement comes amid Cuba's history of engaging the Vatican in discussions over prisoner releases. In January 2025, authorities freed prominent dissident José Daniel Ferrer as part of a broader initiative to gradually release more than 500 inmates, a process initiated after talks with Vatican representatives. Ferrer, a longtime critic of the government, subsequently departed...