U.S. President Joe Biden has decided to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, according to a senior U.S. official.

This move aims to support the efforts led by the Catholic Church to secure the release of political prisoners in Cuba. The official described the unexpected decision as a gesture of goodwill, expressing hope that the detainees will be freed before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Human rights groups and activists, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, had been pressuring the Biden administration to lift the designation.