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.

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.

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.

Cuba on Wednesday began releasing prisoners jailed following anti-government protests in 2021, making good on a deal with the Catholic Church that prompted the Biden administration to say it would loosen sanctions on the communist-run nation.

Florida Democrats torched outgoing President Joe Biden after he decided to remove Cuba's state-sponsor-of-terrorism designation.

The Biden administration removed Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism on Tuesday, prompting Cuba to release hundreds of political prisoners.

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.

President-elect Donald Trump designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism shortly before he left office in January 2021.

Cuba has started releasing some prisoners as part of talks with the Vatican, a day after President Joe Biden’s administration announced his intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Cuba started releasing some prisoners Wednesday as part of talks with the Vatican, a day after President Biden's administration announced his intent to lift the U.S. designation of the island nation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

President Joe Biden is to remove the US designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism as part of a prisoner release deal, the White House has said. President-elect Donald Trump reinstated the designation in the final days of his first presidency in 2021, banning US economic aid and arms exports to the country.