Havana, March 12 - Cuba's foreign ministry said on Thursday that the government will free 51 people serving prison sentences in the coming days as part of an agreement reached with the Vatican.
The ministry framed the decision in terms of ongoing and historic lines of communication with the Holy See, saying such exchanges have traditionally involved "the review and release of prisoners." It said the decision reflects "the spirit of goodwill and the close and fluid relations between the Cuban state and the Vatican."
Officials emphasized that all 51 individuals have "served a significant portion of their sentences and have maintained good conduct in prison." No further details about the identities of those to be released, the exact timing of their release, or the legal mechanisms to be used were provided in the statement.
The announcement comes two weeks after Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met with Pope Leo in the Vatican. The ministry also noted the timing as occurring amid heightened pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
What the ministry said
"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 statement reiterated that the group targeted for release had already spent a considerable share of their terms behind bars and had demonstrated good conduct while incarcerated. Beyond that description, the ministry did not publish additional qualifying criteria or a schedule for the releases.
Context and implications
The announcement links a diplomatic channel with a concrete criminal-justice outcome, but the public information is limited. The connection to the Vatican and the explicit mention of a recent meeting between the foreign minister and the pope are the only operational details the ministry supplied. The reference to external pressure from the United States is noted in the brief statement but not expanded upon.
Observers will need to await further official communications for clarity on the timing, the legal process to be followed, and whether similar reviews and releases will continue under the same channels.