For this AP photographer, joy was all in the hands for a group of released political prisoners

GUATEMALA CITY — Moisés Castillo joined the AP in 1994 at the age of 19, covering Central America and Mexico while based in Guatemala City. He has reported on the end of the civil war in Guatemala, coups and other breaking news in Latin America, numerous natural disasters including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and the migration crisis. He has also covered major sporting events such as Copa America, Pan American Games, the World Cup and the recent Olympics in Paris.

Why this photo?

On the morning of Sept. 5, the U.S. government announced the release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners, who were to be received in Guatemala City. The announcement came as a complete surprise. We found the freed prisoners at one of the exits of the airbase they were flown to as they were being set up for transportation to different hotels.

The newly released prisoners, who had to leave their home country, reacted with joy and gratitude. From the bus, several of them shouted, “Long live free Nicaragua!” while waving their hands out the windows or showing their passports.

How I made this photo

I had packed long lenses, expecting to photograph the plane that transported the freed prisoners on the airbase runway from far away but, in the end, that was no longer possible. Instead, they were already on a bus, and the driver was maneuvering to leave. They were right in front of me. With my Sony A1 camera and a wide-angle 35mm 1.4 lens, I began taking photos of their hands as they tried to get the attention of the few photojournalists who were there.

Why this photo works

In April 2018, I covered the protests against the Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega, which led to the repression and persecution of opponents. And in 2022, I documented Nicaraguans who had taken refuge in Costa Rica. That morning, I think the photo of their hands reflected that freedom had triumphed over the uncertainty of what was ahead for them, had they remained, in Nicaraguan prison.