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.

The Cuban government on Wednesday began the release of 553 prisoners it announced yesterday following Washington's decision to remove the island from its list of countries that sponsor terrorism, EFE confirmed.

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.

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.

Cuban opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferrer was among a group of prisoners released overnight on Thursday in a landmark deal with departing US President Joe Biden that has led to emotional reunions across the communist island.

Less than a week before leaving the White House, President Joe Biden is lifting the state sponsor of terrorism designation for Cuba.

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

Speaker Mike Johnson's replacement of Mike Turner as House Intelligence Committee chairman was partly motivated by Turner's treatment of the Havana syndrome issue.

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.