AP: Cuba Has A Secret Agreement With The Vatican

• 13.03.2026, 8:07

Havana made the unexpected concessions hours before the president's announcement.

The Cuban government has announced the release of 51 prisoners after talks with the Vatican.

This is reported by AP.

The move, which the country's Foreign Ministry has already called a "goodwill gesture," was the result of lengthy behind-the-scenes negotiations between Havana and the Holy See.

The announcement came just hours before a major press conference by President Miguel Diaz-Canel, giving the event a special political weight: analysts see it as an attempt to soften international criticism before important statements by the Cuban leader.

The release itself is expected to take place in the coming days. The official wording is "good behavior and serving a significant portion of the sentence." However, experts say the key factor is the Vatican's diplomatic pressure.

By the way, this is not the first case of such cooperation. Thus, in January 2025, thanks to negotiations with the Vatican, the famous Cuban dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer (who later went to the United States) was released. The agreements at the time provided for the gradual release of more than 500 people.

Official statistics on amnesties have been released:

Since 2010: 9,905 people have been pardoned.

For the last 3 years: about 10,000 convicts have been released early.

The main question is whether political prisoners will be released

Despite the optimistic statements of the authorities, the names of 51 lucky prisoners are kept secret. The main intrigue is whether the list includes those convicted of participating in the protests.

According to the human rights organization Prisoners Defenders, as of February 2026, 1,214 political prisoners remain behind bars on Liberty Island.

If anti-government protesters are among those released, it could signal the beginning of a real dialogue with civil society.