The Cuban government advertisement This April 2nd, the release of more than two thousand people who had been sentenced through a pardon in the context of Holy Week.
From Cubalex we denounce the persistent lack of transparency in this process. As on previous occasions, the authorities have not published an official list of the beneficiaries nor have they clarified whether it includes people imprisoned for political reasons, making the distinction that the excluded offenses include “crimes against authority.” This lack of transparency not only prevents verification of the true scope of the measure but also conceals potential arbitrary exclusions and reinforces the discretionary manner in which these decisions are made.
As of this morning, information received by Cubalex from five prisons indicates that the beneficiaries have been, for the most part, people convicted of common crimes who were already on parole. We continue to monitor the progress of the process.
According to official information, the measure is based on criteria such as “good conduct, partial compliance with the sanction, and health status.” Those benefiting include young people, women, people over 60, foreigners, and Cubans residing abroad.
According to the Article 93 of the Penal Code, A pardon only extinguishes the principal penalty and not accessory penalties, unless expressly stated otherwise. It also does not imply the cancellation of criminal records or civil liability, unless it is of a definitive nature and explicitly established in the corresponding provision.
Historically, the use of pardons in Cuba has served as a tool for political exchange and propaganda, rather than as an act of justice, as demonstrated by the following chronology of selective benefits:
1978 – Pardon of 3000 prisoners sanctioned for crimes against the security of the State and 600 sanctioned for immigration violations, in the context of dialogue with the Cuban community in exile and the mediation of President Jimmy Carter, with the rejection of political prisoners standing firm.
1998 – Pardon of 299 prisoners, including political prisoners, following the visit of John Paul II to Cuba.
2010 – Release of more than 100 political prisoners (including victims of the so-called Black Spring) under extra-penal license or conditional release, and frequently conditioned on exile, after dialogue with the Catholic Church and the government of Spain.
2011 – Pardon of 2900 prisoners, including some political prisoners, in the months leading up to Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the island.
2015 – Pardon of 3,500 sanctioned individuals, excluding crimes against state security, on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit.
2019 – Pardon for 2,600 sanctioned individuals, following the approval of the new Constitution.
2020 – Release of 10,000 common prisoners with early release benefits, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, without benefiting political prisoners.
2025 – 553 people were released from prison following negotiations with the US and the Vatican. Of these, Cubalex was able to confirm that 205 were subject to political sanctions, at least 7 were returned to prison, and one was forced into exile.
2026 – Release of 51 people deprived of their liberty, as a gesture of “goodwill” with the Vatican. Cubalex has confirmed 26 political prisoners.
This is the second release in 2026, amid a crisis and growing international pressure. This measure is presented as “a humanitarian gesture,” while hundreds of people remain imprisoned for political reasons, following trials lacking due process and marked by the criminalization of fundamental rights. This reality confirms that political imprisonment remains a systematic practice in Cuba.
Without public, verifiable and accessible information, these measures lack real guarantees and respond more to strategic interests than to a genuine commitment to human rights.