Cuban pastor, Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo has been released from prison as part of a mass amnesty. This development follows the United States’ decision to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Pastor Rosales Fajardo, who had been serving a sentence for his involvement in peaceful protests in 2021, was released from Mar Verde prison on January 17, 2025. His release is part of a broader amnesty that saw 553 political prisoners freed. Among those released was Afro-Cuban Yoruba religious leader Donaida Pérez Paseiro, although her husband, Loreto Hernández García, remains incarcerated.

The pastor’s detention had been widely criticized by international bodies, including the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which deemed his imprisonment “arbitrary”. Rosales Fajardo was initially arrested on July 11, 2021, during mass demonstrations against the Cuban government. He was later convicted on charges of disrespect, assault, criminal incitement, and public disorder.

The U.S. government’s decision to remove Cuba from its terror list has been met with mixed reactions, with some critics arguing that Cuba continues to support terrorist organizations. Nevertheless, the move has led to a significant shift in U.S.-Cuba relations and the release of numerous political prisoners.

Pastor Rosales Fajardo’s release marks a hopeful moment for his family and supporters, who have long campaigned for his freedom. As he reunites with his loved ones, the broader implications of this mass amnesty continue to unfold on the international stage.

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