Jose Daniel Ferrer, the leader of one of the largest banned anti-government groups in Cuba, was released two days after a surprise flurry of diplomatic activity involving the communist-run island in the waning days of the Biden administration.

Cuba has released prominent dissident José Daniel Ferrer from jail, as part of a Cuban government decision to gradually free more than 500 prisoners as part of talks with the Vatican.

Cuba has started releasing some prisoners as part of talks with the Vatican, a day after President Joe Biden’s administration announced his intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Biden administration said it would remove Cuba from its terrorism blacklist, while Cuba said separately it would release upward of 500 prisoners from its jails.

Cuba on Wednesday began releasing prisoners jailed following anti-government protests in 2021, making good on a deal with the Catholic Church that prompted the Biden administration to say it would loosen sanctions on the communist-run nation.

To the extent that the dictatorship must be condemned…we must look for mechanisms that can help alleviate hunger.”

The US will remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, Joe Biden has said in one of his final official acts as president. In return, Cuba announced it would release 553 prisoners. The deal, which was brokered by the Catholic Church, comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump is due to be sworn in.

After years of harassment, surveillance and constant threats from state security due to his reporting, freelance journalist José Luis Tan Estrada has been forced to leave the country. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the international community to take action so that Cuban media professionals can safely work in their own country.

The history of book bans in the US goes back to 1637 but has recently increased dramatically, nearly 200% during the 2023-24 school year. This rise is driven by conservative policies claiming many books have themes that go "against" American history.

President Biden will remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, U.S. officials announced on Tuesday, as a part of a deal that is expected to free protesters jailed during a sweeping 2021 crackdown on dissent by the Communist government.

Florida Democrats torched outgoing President Joe Biden after he decided to remove Cuba's state-sponsor-of-terrorism designation.