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Holy Week, Cuba pardons 2,000 prisoners
2026-04-03 22:52:46 / BOTA
The Cuban government has announced that 2,010 prisoners have been pardoned in a “humanitarian and sovereign gesture” during Holy Week and amid diplomatic tensions with the United States. The Easter pardons, which applied to some young people, people over 60, women and foreigners, were the second such move this year after Havana unexpectedly announced the release of 51 prisoners in mid-March. The March pardons were said to be the result of diplomatic efforts by the Vatican, which has shown signs of playing a mediating role between Havana and Washington.
The US has been increasing pressure on the island to agree to economic and political changes. Cuba, the communist-ruled Caribbean nation off the southern coast of Florida, has been mired in an economic crisis for years, which has been worsened over the past three months by a US oil embargo.
US pressure on Cuba
US President Donald Trump has called for changes to Cuba's system of governance and has even mused about "taking over" the island - but he allowed a Russian tanker to deliver much-needed crude oil to the fuel-starved country this week.
Whether the temporary lifting of the oil embargo and the pardons were related was not clear, but Michael Bustamante, chair of Cuban studies at the University of Miami, told the AFP news agency: “It doesn’t seem far-fetched to think that this is a sign that some of the talks between the two governments are progressing. Maybe slowly, but progressing. Where? Unclear.”
He added: “I think we’ll have to see who is involved in these releases to get a sense of their potential political significance.” What to make of US allowing Russian tanker to reach Cuba
The Cuban government said sex offenders and murderers would not be released, but it remained unclear whether any political prisoners were among those pardoned.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in a statement that the move was based on the nature of the crimes committed, good behavior in prison, health reasons and time served.
He said the decision was "taking place in the context of the religious holidays of Holy Week - a common practice within our criminal justice system and a reflection of the humanitarian legacy of the Revolution."
According to Cuban government figures, more than 11,000 people have now been released in five prisoner releases since 2011.
The latest comes months after the US ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and pressured Caracas to make radical changes, including releasing prisoners held for political reasons and passing an amnesty law.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American and vocal critic of the Havana government, has put similar pressure on Cuba, telling Fox News on Tuesday that the country needs economic and political reforms.
“You can’t fix their economy unless you change their system of government,” he said. “But they are in a lot of trouble, there’s no doubt about that, and we’ll have more news about that very soon.”/DW
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