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.

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.

The deal, which comes less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, also includes rolling back a 2017 memorandum issued during his first term.

This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Ricardo speaks with Gerry about Pope Francis’ criticism of U.S. mass deportations and Cuba's Vatican-backed plan to release 533 political prisoners.

Cuba said this week that it was releasing 553 prisoners “in the spirit of” Francis’ 2025 Holy Year and had informed the pope of its decision ahead of time. The move came a day after the ...

ROME (AP) — 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 ...

Trump’s decision to return Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism ensures that the U.S. remains vigilant of rogue regimes such as Cuba’s | Opinion

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.

Pope Francis expressed the hope that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on Sunday, Jan. 19, “would be respected immediately by all the parties [involved]” and would lead to “the release of all the hostages” and the rapid provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza.

The written remarks also warned against what the pope termed “brain rot” caused by constant social media scrolling, calling for greater media literacy.

The president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council has said that the Trump administration’s decisions to freeze aid programs, deport migrants and block refugees will be “catastrophic” for Haiti.

Donald Trump attends Service of Prayer as he begins first full day as the 47th President of the United States following his inauguration