The Mejia government has 835 inmates on its Christmas pardon list, all of whom were placed there by the Attorney General’s office on recommendations from its Pardons Commission. This represents the greatest number of inmates to be simultaneously pardoned by the government since this administration instated the practice of pardoning large groups of convicts. The pardons have been at times controversial. The government has been known to go to the extreme of freeing individuals with impressive drug-dealing records, such as in the case of a major crack dealer who alleged a health problem and was released. The practice this time around has been transparent, with the government publishing the list in the Listin Diario yesterday, prior to the release. Including these latest inmates to be freed, the Executive Branch will have excused 2,611 people from their jail sentences in the past three years. The previous administration saw fit to pardon 774 people during its four-year term. El Caribe newspaper points out that before President Mejia concludes this term of office in August 2004, those jailed will have two more chances yet to secure themselves a spot on the coveted jail exit list.