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The Cuban comedian and public figure Ulises Toirac reacted this Friday on Facebook to the government's announcement of pardoning 2,010 prisoners, warning that the exclusion of those convicted of crimes against authority raises suspicion that any release of political prisoners would be "very selective."
The regime announced on Thursday the pardon as a humanitarian gesture for Holy Week, based on Article 90, Clause II of the Constitution, but explicitly excluded those who committed crimes against authority, the legal category under which it has systematically prosecuted the protesters of July 11, 2021 and government critics, on charges of sedition, public disorder, and contempt.
"The exception of 'crimes against authority' makes me suspect that in the hypothetical case of pardons for political prisoners, it will be done very selectively. But that is the reason why protesters and critics of the government have been prosecuted," Toirac wrote.
The comedian identified two catalysts for the pardon: Holy Week and the ongoing diplomatic conversations with the United States, distinguishing this case from previous pardons linked to papal visits.
"However, and although Holy Week is the context, it is not a papal visit like in previous instances. Given that discussions with the U.S. are underway, which is another catalyst for such a decision, I want to believe that something will come of it," he noted.
Toirac accompanied his publication with a historical table of mass pardons in Cuba, which shows that the one in 2026, with 2,010 beneficiaries, is the smallest since 1998, when Pope John Paul II visited the island and about 300 prisoners were released, including 101 political dissidents.
The first releases confirmed by journalist Patrick Oppmann of CNN in the La Lima prison in Havana indicated that those released had committed non-political offenses, such as armed robbery and fraud.
By the end of February 2026, Prisoners Defenders recorded 1,214 political prisoners in Cuba, of which 218 are specifically sentenced for sedition, with average sentences of ten years.
This is the second pardon of the year: the first took place on March 12, when, following Vatican mediation, 51 people were released from prison, of which only five were confirmed as political prisoners by Prisoners Defenders.
Toirac was cautious regarding the speculations and urged waiting for concrete results before passing a definitive judgment on the regime's intentions.
"We will have to wait for lists. In any case, the exception in the statement alone is a refusal for even a minimal change in this regard. Speculating changes nothing. We will have to wait. The intention will depend on the outcome," he concluded.
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