José Angel Roque's days spent languishing in a Costa Rican airport may soon be over.

Late Monday afternoon, Public Security Minister Janina del Vecchio granted the 40-year-old Roque refugee status, a move that should end the Cuban man's 53-day stay in Juan Santamaria International Airport.

In a case reminiscent of the movie “The Terminal” starring Tom Hanks, Roque had been living in the airport since Dec. 4, when he attempted to enter the country with false papers and was denied entrance by immigration officials. He filed a petition of habeas corpus and sought formal refugee status in Costa Rica, alleging that he would face political persecution if he returned to Cuba.

In a statement released Monday afternoon, del Vecchio cited the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which bestows refugee status to someone with a “well-founded fear” of persecution in their homeland.

Officials at the U.N. Refugee Agency in San José had argued that Roque's case clearly met conditions for political asylum, but his petition for refugee status was denied earlier this month by immigration officials. An appeal was also denied last week, putting his case in the hands of del Vecchio, who had until Wednesday to make a final decision.

Del Vecchio's decision comes after Costa Rica's ombudswoman gave notice Monday she would appeal Roque's habeas corpus petition, saying his rights had been violated.

Roque's lawyer, Carlos Seguro, told The Tico Times on Monday before del Vecchio's announcement that immigration authorities had been pressuring Roque to drop his asylum request, while the Cuban consulate maintained Roque would face no persecution back home.

Seguro could not be reached Monday evening for comment.