Pope Francis has hailed the release of Cuban prisoners as a "gesture of great hope" that he prays will be undertaken elsewhere.

Jose Daniel Ferrer, the leader of one of the largest banned anti-government groups in Cuba, was released two days after a surprise flurry of diplomatic activity involving the communist-run island in the waning days of the Biden administration.

Cuba has freed 127 prisoners, including opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferrer, in a landmark deal with departing US President Joe Biden that has led to emotional reunions across the communist island.

Cuba on January 15 began releasing prisoners under a deal with outgoing US President Joe Biden's administration to remove the communist island from a list of terror sponsors, but Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio signalled the policy shift would be short-lived.

Cuba has released prominent dissident José Daniel Ferrer from jail, as part of a Cuban government decision to gradually free more than 500 prisoners as part of talks with the Vatican

In the hours after President Joe Biden lifted its status as a state sponsor of terrorism, Cuba began releasing some of its prisoners.

The move is likely to be reversed by the incoming Trump administration, as it was Trump who first put Cuba on the terrorism blacklist in his first term

President Biden will remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, U.S. officials announced on Tuesday, as a part of a deal that is expected to free protesters jailed during a sweeping 2021 crackdown on dissent by the Communist government.

The Biden administration said it would remove Cuba from its terrorism blacklist, while Cuba said separately it would release upward of 500 prisoners from its jails.

By removing Cuba from the list of nations who support terrorism, Biden has gifted the island’s communist government | Opinion

President Joe Biden is removing Cuba from a U.S. government list of state sponsors of terrorism on Tuesday, according to administration officials.