 |
| The "Combinado del Este" prison, in Havana, pictured in 2013 (Image: Getty Images) |
Cuba's government has announced that it will release 2,010 prisoners as a "humanitarian and sovereign gesture" in response to the United States' ongoing political pressure. Those freed will include foreign nationals, young people, women and those aged over 60, a statement from the Cuban embassy in the US said on Thursday.
It said the release was taking place "in the context of the religious celebrations of Holy Week, which is a customary practice in our criminal justice system".
READ MORE: Cuba's mothers-to-be prepare to give birth in a country plunged into darkness
Since returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump has made clear his desire to change Cuba's Communist leadership and has blocked oil shipments to the island, causing severe fuel shortages and widespread blackouts.
Last week, a Russian-owned tanker carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of crude oil became the first to dock in one of Cuba's ports since early January - something Trump said he had "no problem" with.
Human Rights Watch says that hundreds of political prisoners are held in Cuba, and government opponents face harassment and criminal prosecution. The embassy stated that "their good conduct while in prison, the fact that they had served a significant portion of their sentences, and their state of health" were the factors that determined eligibility for release. It is the second time this year that Cuba has announced a prisoner release. In March, negotiations with the Vatican resulted in the release of 51 prisoners.
In a deal mediated by the US and Vatican, Cuba granted release to 553 individuals in 2025. Trump's rhetoric concerning Latin America has pivoted focus towards Cuba since the US seized Venezuela's former President, Nicolás Maduro, in a raid on Caracas in January.
Venezuela's interim government has also released political prisoners since - a key US demand - though a prisoner rights group says only a third of those promised had been let go.
Venezuela had been providing Cuba with oil under highly preferential terms, something the US stopped while threatening tariffs on products from nations found to be sending oil to the Caribbean island - exacerbating an existing energy crisis.
In an effort to resolve the impasse, Cuba's Communist government, led by President Miguel Dáz-Canel, has held talks with the Trump administration. However, there are a number of political and economic stumbling blocks that both sides have made public, making it difficult to find common ground. Trump has said many times that the United States could "take" Cuba by force and put in place a more friendly government. The World Health Organization issued a warning the previous week that Cuban hospitals were having difficulty maintaining emergency and intensive care services due to severe fuel shortages.
In addition, the island has endured continuous blackouts that have deprived millions of their light and occasionally prompted public protests. Russia said on Thursday that it would send a second oil tanker, laden with enough oil to keep Cuba's economy going for a few weeks.
Source: BBC
Posts
0 Comments