Cuba’s government announced March 12 that it will release 51 prisoners in the coming days as a gesture of goodwill following recent talks with the Holy See.
“In the spirit of goodwill and the close and fluid relations between the Cuban state and the Vatican, with which communication has historically been maintained regarding the review and release of prisoners, the Cuban government has decided to release 51 people sentenced to imprisonment in the coming days,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to an unofficial translation.
The ministry said those selected for release “have served a significant portion of their sentences and have maintained good conduct in prison.” It did not specify whether any of the prisoners are political detainees. According to the nonprofit group Prisoners Defenders, cited by CBS News, there were 1,214 political prisoners in Cuba as of February.
The Cuban government also said in its statement that it has granted pardons to 9,905 inmates since 2010.
The foreign ministry described the decision as “sovereign” and said it is a “common practice in our criminal justice system” that reflects the “humanitarian trajectory of the revolution,” this time coinciding with the approach of Holy Week.
The announcement reportedly comes two weeks after Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. According to Vatican News, Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni confirmed March 13 that the Vatican and Cuban authorities had recently discussed the possibility of prisoner releases.
The Vatican has helped broker similar agreements in the past. In March 2025, Cuba completed the release of 553 prisoners as part of a similar Vatican-mediated agreement and in “the spirit of the 2025 Jubilee,” according to a statement from Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the time.
The latest announcement comes amid tensions between Washington and Havana. In recent months, the Trump administration has moved to restrict oil shipments to Cuba and has suggested that the island’s longstanding communist regime could fall. President Donald Trump told reporters Feb. 27 that his administration has been dealing with Cuba at a “very high level” and predicted there may be a “friendly takeover” soon because the “failed nation” wants “our help.” He also said March 5 that Cuba is “next” on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s list.
During a press conference March 13, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed recent talks with U.S. officials aimed at finding “solutions to the bilateral differences that exist.” He said the two countries are “far” from an agreement.
Pope Leo in February urged leaders of the two countries to pursue dialogue in order to avoid further suffering among the Cuban people. His appeal echoed a Jan. 31 message from Cuba’s bishops, who warned that humanitarian, social, and economic conditions in the country have continued to worsen.