The United States decided to keep Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor terrorismwhich entails a series of sanctions for the island, as stated in the 2023 report on terrorism in the world published this Thursday by the State Department.
Cuba shares category with North Korea, Iran and Syria, countries that Washington accuses of “providing repeated support for acts of international terrorism.”
The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinkenconfirmed on Wednesday during a congressional hearing that there would be no change in policy toward the island before the president, Joe Biden, leave power next January 20
“I do not anticipate any change in our policy towards Cuba by this Administration,” said the head of US diplomacy during an appearance before a parliamentary committee.
Blinken repeated that same formula when asked in detail about whether the Government is reviewing in recent days whether it can remove Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
“As I said, I don’t anticipate any changes.”he stated.
The inclusion of Cuba on the list in January 2021 was one of the last decisions made by the Republican Donald Trump before leaving power in his first term.
The inclusion of Cuba in that list generates a series of economic sanctions for the island.
The United States then justified the measure by referring to the presence on the island of members of the Colombian ELN guerrilla, who traveled to Havana to begin peace negotiations with the Government of Colombia.
The Biden Government considers that the “Cuban regime provided repeated support for acts of international terrorism by granting safe haven to terrorists.”
He stressed that Havana “did not formally respond to the extradition requests” of the ELN leaders. Pablo Tejada y Pablo Beltran presented by Colombia.
It also denounces that “Cuba also continues to harbor several American fugitives from justice wanted on charges related to political violence, many of whom have resided in Cuba for decades.”
To designate a country as a sponsor of terrorism, US law requires the Secretary of State to determine that the Government of that nation has repeatedly provided support to terrorist groups.
This designation implies the ban on gun sales with that country, greater control of its exports, restrictions on foreign aid, greater visa requirements and various economic sanctions.
Cuba had been part of the list since 1982 but left in 2015, during the rapprochement stage promoted by the then US president. Barack Obama (2009-2017) and stopped by Trump, who during his mandate redoubled the sanctions on Havana and stopped the “thaw.”
The current Biden Administration has made some gestures towards the island, such as the elimination of the remittance limit for Cuba, but far from Obama’s approach.
The dictator of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canelhas repeatedly demanded that Washington remove his country from the list, whose inclusion he considers unjustified and has serious economic implications for the island.
(With information from EFE)
