US to remove Cuba from terrorism sponsor list

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President Joe Biden’s administration has announced plans to remove Cuba from the United States list of state sponsors of terrorism as part of a prisoner release deal, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.

In response, Cuba has agreed to release 553 prisoners held for “diverse crimes,” with hopes that these include individuals detained during anti-government protests four years ago.

According to BBC, Cuba’s terror designation was reinstated in 2021 by President-elect Donald Trump during the final days of his first presidency, effectively cutting off US economic aid and arms exports to the country.

However, a senior Biden administration official disclosed that a recent assessment revealed “no information” justifying the designation.

Cuba has welcomed the move, describing it as a step “in the right direction,” though it criticised its “limited nature.” The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in a statement that the designation caused “serious damage to the Cuban economy, with a severe effect on the population.”

According to another statement issued by the Cuban government, hundreds of prisoners will be “gradually” released following talks mediated by the Catholic Church. Details on the prisoners remain undisclosed, but the deal is expected to lead to the release of some individuals jailed after the 2021 anti-government protests sparked by Cuba’s economic decline.

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Cuba’s inclusion on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism places it alongside North Korea, Syria, and Iran. Countries on this list are considered to have “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.”

The decision to remove Cuba from the list is seen as a potential turning point in US-Cuba relations. Analysts believe it could pave the way for dialogue on contentious issues and offer some relief to Cuba’s struggling economy, which has been hindered by restrictions that limit foreign investments and banking operations.

The White House has indicated that President Biden plans to notify Congress of his decision, which includes reversing certain Trump-era financial restrictions on Cubans and suspending claims to confiscated property on the island.

It remains uncertain whether Trump, who will return to office on 20 January, will reverse these latest decisions. His nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has been a vocal advocate for sanctions on Cuba, citing his family’s history of fleeing the country in the 1950s before Fidel Castro’s communist revolution.

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