Pope Francis meets with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on June 20, 2023, at the Vatican. (Photo: Vatican Media)
By Walter Sánchez Silva
Catholic News Agency
January 16, 2025
The Cuban government has announced the release of 553 prisoners as part of an initiative facilitated by Pope Francis, aligning with the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025.
In an official statement dated January 14, 2025, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared that President Miguel Díaz-Canel wrote to Pope Francis to communicate the decision. The statement reads:
“President Díaz-Canel sent a letter to the supreme pontiff in which, in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025 declared by His Holiness and which has just begun, he communicated the decision to benefit by granting freedom to 553 people sanctioned in due process for various crimes established by law … [These people] will receive their respective benefits gradually.”
This announcement aligns with Pope Francis’ call during the Jubilee Year of Hope, which began on December 24, 2024, at the Vatican. In his apostolic bull Spes Non Confundit, Pope Francis encouraged governments to undertake acts of clemency:
“Governments [should] undertake initiatives aimed at restoring hope, forms of amnesty or pardon meant to help individuals regain confidence in themselves and in society.”
The Cuban Foreign Ministry further noted the ongoing collaboration between the Cuban government and the Vatican, emphasizing the “close and smooth relations” maintained through regular communication with Pope Francis and his representatives. This dialogue has reportedly contributed to the release of more than 10,000 prisoners between 2023 and 2024.
The ministry highlighted key milestones in the relationship, including a June 2023 meeting between Díaz-Canel and Pope Francis and an earlier meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla in August 2022.
Attempts to gather a Vatican response to this announcement were made. However, Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican Press Office, had not provided a statement by the time of publication.
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