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,

The Cuban government announced that it would release hundreds of political prisoners, citing inspiration from Pope Francis' emphasis on mercy for prisoners during the Jubilee Year.

Cuba’s statement refers to Pope Francis’ call to release prisoners during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, which began on Dec. 24, 2024, at the Vatican.

Following the Cuban regime's recent announcement of prisoner releases, the Vatican issued a statement on Wednesday describing the move as a testament

The Vatican’s secretary of state called the gradual release of 553 prisoners in Cuba “a sign of great hope” at the beginning of the Jubilee Year.

President Joe Biden has notified Congress of his intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House announced, as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to free political prisoners on the island.

There is zero doubt in my mind that they meet all the qualifications for being a state sponsor of terrorism,” he said.

Cuba on Wednesday began releasing prisoners jailed following anti-government protests in 2021, making good on a deal agreed with the Biden administration this week. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday removed Cuba from a blacklist of nations that sponsor terrorism and rolled back a raft of sanctions implemented by Donald Trump during his first presidency that have contributed to the communist-run island's worst economic crisis in decades.

After years of debate, the Biden administration has notified Congress that it will remove Cuba from the U.S. list of states that sponsor terrorism, a label given the island nation in the last days of the previous Trump presidency.