Cuban artist and human rights activist Danilo "El Sexto" Maldonado told reporters in Miami Monday that he feels "more responsibility" after spending 10 months in a Havana jail.
Maldonado was among several thousand Cuban prisoners who were pardoned and released in October ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Cuba in September.
As reported by NBC News, Maldonado was awaiting trial on a charge of "disrespect" for painting "Fidel" and "Raul" on a pair of pigs in a satire of former President Fidel Castro and his brother, current President Raul Castro.
Maldonado was arrested before even making it to Havana's Parque Central, but was never formally charged.
Several international human rights organizations rallied for his release, many using the hashtag #FreeElSexto on Twitter.
President Barack Obama also reportedly brought up Maldonado's case during his historic meeting with Raul Castro at the Summit of the Americas in Panama in April.
His address to the media Monday morning marks Maldonado's first visit to Miami since his release from Valle Grande Prison last month.
