EFE (via 14ymedio), Washington, November 30, 2023 — The United States decided to keep Cuba on the list of countries sponsoring terrorism for another year, as stated in the 2022 report on terrorism in the world published this Thursday by the Department of State.
North Korea, Iran and Syria join Cuba on the list, which entails the imposition of a series of sanctions by Washington.
The inclusion of Cuba on the list in January 2021 was one of the last decisions made by the Administration of Republican Donald Trump (2017-2021) before leaving power.
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 Administration of Democrat Joe Biden considers in its report published this Thursday that “the Cuban Government did not formally respond to the extradition requests” of ELN leaders Pablo Tejada and Pablo Beltrán presented by Colombia.
North Korea, Iran and Syria join Cuba on the list, which entails the imposition of a series of sanctions by Washington
The report 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 in question has repeatedly provided support to terrorist groups.
This designation implies a ban on arms 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 was taken off in 2015, during the rapprochement stage promoted by then US president Barack Obama (2009-2017), later ended by Trump, who during his term 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 it is still far from Obama’s approach.
The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has repeatedly demanded that Washington remove his country from the list; he considers the inclusion unjustified with serious economic implications for the Island.
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