After Pope’s Visit, Cuba to Free More Than 200 Inmates
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HAVANA — Cuba said Thursday that it had decided to release more than 200 prisoners, including some political detainees, after Pope John Paul II’s visit to the Communist nation last month.
The group release will be the largest by President Fidel Castro’s government in years.
It was unclear when people would actually start walking free.
The release was first announced by the Vatican, which said Cuba called it “an act of clemency and goodwill in memory” of John Paul’s five-day visit last month.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez said Cuba had decided to pardon “several dozen” people who were on a list of prisoners that was presented by the Vatican during the pope’s visit.
He added that the government had decided to pardon for humanitarian reasons a “number superior to 200” of people jailed for political or common crimes.
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