U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) shared her doubts regarding the Cuban government’s announcement of its release of over 2,000 prisoners in a post on the social media platform X.
“We’ve seen this before,” Rep. Salazar wrote. “The regime releases a few for headlines while hiding the truth and keeping political prisoners behind bars.”
Cuba's Embassy in the U.S. announced on X the pardon and release of 2,010 prisoners, calling it a "humanitarian and sovereign gesture.” The move comes amid immense pressure on the island nation from the Trump administration, including an oil blockade that has cut off fuel shipments.
“Let’s be clear: we don’t even know who is being released, because the dictatorship lies,” the congresswoman expressed. “You know what they won’t do? Release Maykel Osorbo, Félix Navarro, Saily Navarro, Miguel Díaz Bauzá, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, and the many political prisoners they deny exist but keep in the darkness.”
According to CBS News, the Cuban Embassy said among those released are younger individuals, women, Cuban citizens who live abroad, foreign nationals, and people over the age of 60.
The Embassy did not disclose whether any political prisoners were included among those released, but it did affirm that prisoners convicted of several violent crimes were not eligible.
“The nonprofit Prisoners Defenders has counted 1,211 political prisoners in Cuba,” CBS News reported.
“This is not humanitarian. It’s a tactic to cling to power and create headlines. We don’t buy it,” Rep. Salazar commented. “Real change means freedom for every political prisoner and a path to democracy. Until then, it’s the same dictatorship.”
Florida Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez (R) backed Rep. Elvira Salazar’s comments, reposting her post on X.
The mass pardons mark the second prisoner release from the Cuban government. In March, 51 detainees were released.
