Ridiculous quote of the day

"This decision was not undertaken because of pressure, but as a sovereign act in line with the humanitarian and ethical conduct that has characterized the Cuban revolution from the start." (emphasis added)
— Cuban dictator Raúl Castro, explaining the decision to commute most death sentences to 30 years to life in prison.

(Not covered by the reprieve is the case of what Reuters described as "a Cuban American charged with murder during an attempt at armed infiltration of the island." The story and other accounts didn't mention any names but they probably are referring to Humberto Eladio Real Suarez, who with six other exiles infiltrated the island in 1994. He was sentenced to death after being convicted of killing a guard; the others got 30 years in prison.

For more on how Cuba has used the death penalty, read here.)