Cuba says it released over 2,000 prisoners as White House heaps pressure on island
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The Cuban government says it has pardoned and released 2,010 prisoners, a sweeping move that comes as the island nation grapples with pressure from the Trump administration.
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Politics Cuba says it released over 2,000 prisoners as Trump administration heaps pressure on island By Joe Walsh Joe Walsh Senior Editor, Politics Joe Walsh is a senior editor for digital politics at CBS News. Joe previously covered breaking news for Forbes and local news in Boston. Read Full Bio Joe Walsh Updated on: April 2, 2026 / 10:53 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The Cuban government said late Thursday it has pardoned and released 2,010 prisoners, a sweeping move that comes as the island nation grapples with intense pressure from the Trump administration, including an oil blockade that — until recently — cut off fuel shipments. Calling it a "humanitarian and sovereign gesture," Cuba's Embassy in the U.S. announced the prisoner releases on X . It said those released include younger people, women, people over the age of 60, Cuban citizens who live abroad and foreign nationals. Prisoners who are guilty of various violent crimes were not eligible, according to the embassy. It's unclear whether any political prisoners were included in the release. The nonprofit Prisoners Defenders has counted 1,211 political prisoners in Cuba. The Cuban government said the mass pardons are this year's second prisoner release. Last month, a smaller group of 51 detainees were released. The prisoner releases come as Cuba experiences at least a partial reprieve from the energy crisis that has crippled the island. Earlier this year, the Trump administration threatened to slap hefty tariffs on any countries that export oil to Cuba, causing fuel shortages as shipments ground to a halt for several months. But earlier this week, the U.S. allowed a sanctioned Russian-flagged oil tanker to dock in Havana with more than 700,000 barrels of oil. Russia has said it plans to send a second tanker, offering a lifeline to Cuba. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters this week the Trump administration decided to let the first tanker through "for humanitarian reasons." ...
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