Cuba has announced the release of 2,010 prisoners in what its government describes as a humanitarian gesture, as the Trump administration maintains an intense pressure campaign against the island, including an effective oil blockade that has pushed the country into severe economic strain.
Calling the move a “humanitarian and sovereign gesture,” Cuba’s Embassy in the United States announced the prisoner releases on social media. Those released include younger people, women, people over the age of 60, Cuban citizens living abroad, and foreign nationals. Prisoners found guilty of serious violent crimes were not eligible.
The announcement linked the pardons to the observance of Holy Week, describing them as customary practice, without directly referencing tensions with Washington.
Authorities provided no details on when those pardoned would be freed, under what conditions, or the specific offences involved. Officials also gave no indication of whether any protesters convicted of crimes such as terrorism, contempt, or public disorder were among those included.
Cuba’s government denies holding political prisoners, but the activist group Prisoners Defended has registered more than 1,200 people imprisoned in Cuba for political reasons.
The announcement marks the fifth prisoner release since 2011, bringing the total number freed across all such exercises to more than 11,000. Last month, Cuba released 51 people in a move officials attributed to goodwill and close ties with the Vatican. In January 2025, 553 prisoners were freed as part of Vatican-brokered talks, a day after the Biden administration signalled its intent to remove Cuba from the United States list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The Trump administration has engaged in negotiations with Cuba, with former Cuban president Raúl Castro playing a reported role. However, Cuba has pushed back against suggestions from Washington about taking greater control over the country’s affairs.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Cuba requires both economic and political reform, arguing that its economic troubles cannot be resolved without changing its system of government.
Cuba has intensified efforts to engage the Vatican as a mediator with Washington, amid a deepening economic crisis driven in part by the oil blockade, which has contributed to fuel shortages, rolling blackouts, and disruptions to humanitarian aid distribution.
