Pope Francis has hailed the release of Cuban prisoners as a “gesture of great hope” that he prays will be undertaken elsewhere.

Pope Francis has praised Cuba's decision to release 553 prisoners as a sign of hope, facilitated by Vatican-brokered discussions involving the US. This move aligns with the pope's tradition of urging clemency during Holy Years.

Cuba began releasing some of its prisoners Thursday in the hours after President Joe Biden lifted its status as a state sponsor of terrorism. President-elect Donald Trump gave Cuba the status in his National Security Presidential Memorandum 5 during his first term,

Cuba then informed Pope Francis it would gradually release 553 convicts as authorities explore the legal and humanitarian ways to make it happen. Havana said, however, that the gesture to the pontiff is unrelated to the U.S. decision to lift the designation.

Someone in the queue behind him said “let’s hope he accepts”, but he was, it seems, deaf to all the signs he was in the running. An archbishop asked him, would he accept? “No cardinal can say no”, he said.

Pope Francis received one of the U.S.'s top honors, published a memoir, and facilitated relations between Washington and Havana.

Hours later, the Cuban foreign ministry said the government informed Pope Francis it would gradually release 553 convicts as authorities explore legal and humanitarian ways to make it happen. Havana did not link the prisoners' release to the U.S. decision ...

Pope Francis on Sunday hailed the release of Cuban prisoners as a "gesture of great hope" that he prayed would be undertaken elsewhere, as he welcomed an agreement the Vatican helped facilitate as part of a three-way dialogue with Washington and Havana that dates back to the Cuban missile crisis.

WASHINGTON/HAVANA, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The Biden administration said ... his government planned to "gradually" release 553 prisoners following talks with Pope Francis. Cuba faced sharp criticism from rights groups, the United States and the European Union ...

ROME — Pope Francis on Sunday hailed the release ... facilitate as part of a three-way dialogue with Washington and Havana that dates back to the Cuban missile crisis. Cuba said this week ...

Biden took Cuba off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Now, as Trump puts them back on the list, Cuba halts the release of political prisoners. The Cuban regime started releasing political prisoners last week after President Biden removed the country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday directed State Department personnel to stop nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending for 90 days. A copy of the directive that Politico obtained requires State Department staffers to immediately issue “stop-work orders” on nearly all “existing foreign assistance awards.”