Cuba has granted early release to 553 prisoners as part of a deal mediated by the Holy See during the final days of former U.S. President Joe Biden’s presidency.
As part of the agreement with Cuban authorities, U.S. President Joe Biden removed Cuba from the U.S. terrorism blacklist on January 14, in exchange for the Cuban government’s commitment to release 553 prisoners.
The United States, the European Union, the Catholic Church, and rights groups have long urged the island nation to release hundreds of protesters imprisoned after anti-government protests in July 2021, the largest since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.
In a statement following the deal, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, "In the spirit of the 2025 Jubilee and as part of the close and ongoing relations with the Vatican, I informed Pope Francis of the decision to release the prisoners."
The deal was reversed by the new U.S. administration just six days after Donald Trump was sworn in, but the release of prisoners has continued sporadically.
In February, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, called the gradual release of the Cuban prisoners „a sign of great hope“ at the start of the Holy Year, and he expressed hope for more "gestures of clemency“ from governments in the spirit of the Jubilee.
Speaking late on Monday, the vice president of Cuba‘s top court said on state television that the process was successfully completed.
According to rights groups, opposition activists and a dissident leader are among those released. However, two dissident artists and a musician co-author of the anti-government protests anthem are still in jail. Observers claim that many of those released are not political prisoners.
According to official figures, around 500 demonstrators over the July 2021 protests have been sentenced, in some cases to up to 25 years in prison.
Pope Leo, the first pontiff from the United States, delivered his first Mass on Friday, expressing hope that his election would help the Church bring light to the "dark nights of this world."
The election of U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV has drawn an emotional response from clergy and laity across the globe, celebrating his historic rise as the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
From Washington to Rome and beyond, world leaders continue to welcome the election of Pope Leo XIV, recognising the historic nature of the first American pontiff and the hopes it brings for global unity and moral leadership.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born missionary and Vatican official, has been elected pope, bringing decades of pastoral, academic, and global Church leadership to the papacy.
For the first time in history, an American has been chosen to lead the Catholic Church, as Cardinal Robert Prevost is named pope.
A new rose has been named after Catherine, Princess of Wales, to promote the healing benefits of nature.
A fragment of the Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482, launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth between 9 and 10 May, according to space agencies monitoring its re-entry.
FIFA has approved a major expansion of the Women’s World Cup, increasing the number of participating teams to 48 starting from the 2031 edition.
Mexico is suing Google for disregarding repeated requests to stop referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for U.S. users on Google Maps.
Explosions were heard in Rawalpindi and Islamabad around 2:30 a.m. local time as a ballistic missile attack targeting Nur Khan Airbase was intercepted, according to Pakistani security sources.
India has fired a series of missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, in what it has described as “Operation Sindoor”
For the first time in history, an American has been chosen to lead the Catholic Church, as Cardinal Robert Prevost is named pope.
Discover every major VE Day 80 event in Britain, 5‑8 May 2025—from London’s parade and fly‑past to street parties, concerts and museum exhibitions.
Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has announced it will no longer sell goods directly from China to U.S. customers, shifting instead to U.S.-based sellers amid the closure of a long-criticized customs loophole.
A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
A new rose has been named after Catherine, Princess of Wales, to promote the healing benefits of nature.
A fragment of the Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482, launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth between 9 and 10 May, according to space agencies monitoring its re-entry.
FIFA has approved a major expansion of the Women’s World Cup, increasing the number of participating teams to 48 starting from the 2031 edition.
Mexico is suing Google for disregarding repeated requests to stop referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for U.S. users on Google Maps.
Explosions were heard in Rawalpindi and Islamabad around 2:30 a.m. local time as a ballistic missile attack targeting Nur Khan Airbase was intercepted, according to Pakistani security sources.
A new rose has been named after Catherine, Princess of Wales, to promote the healing benefits of nature.
A fragment of the Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482, launched in 1972, is expected to crash back to Earth between 9 and 10 May, according to space agencies monitoring its re-entry.
FIFA has approved a major expansion of the Women’s World Cup, increasing the number of participating teams to 48 starting from the 2031 edition.
Mexico is suing Google for disregarding repeated requests to stop referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for U.S. users on Google Maps.
Explosions were heard in Rawalpindi and Islamabad around 2:30 a.m. local time as a ballistic missile attack targeting Nur Khan Airbase was intercepted, according to Pakistani security sources.
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