The Ladies in White is a movement of wives of Cuban political prisoners, marching in Miramar, Cuba. JOAO PINA / JOAO PINA
Cuba's government announced Thursday, April 2, that it was pardoning 2,010 prisoners as a "humanitarian" gesture to mark Easter after previously pledging to release dozens amid heightened US pressure on Havana. The major announcement comes days after US President Donald Trump eased a de facto oil blockade of Cuba by allowing a Russian tanker to deliver crude to the fuel-starved island.
The Trump administration has called for change in communist-run Cuba's system of government and the US president has mused about "taking" the island. But the two sides have also held talks recently.
Releasing political prisoners has long been a core US demand in Cuba. The Cuban presidency announced that the individuals being freed include young people, women and prisoners over 60 years old who are scheduled for early release within the next six months to a year. Foreigners and Cuban citizens residing abroad are among them, but no identities have been released.
"This humanitarian and sovereign gesture was based on a careful analysis of the nature of the crimes committed by the convicts, their good conduct in prison, the fact they had served a significant portion of their sentences, and their state of health," the presidency said in a statement.
