Friday, December 13

The State Department maintains Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism

Avatar of Evaristo Lara

By Evaristo Lara

Dec 13, 2024, 2:28 PM EST

According to the report on terrorism in the world presented by the State Department, Cuba will continue to be labeled as a country sponsoring terrorism.

From the perspective of Washington, North Korea, Iran, Syria and Cuba “they provide repeated support for acts of international terrorism” and therefore They are subject to sanctions, especially financial ones.

During a congressional hearing, Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, reiterated that there will be no change in President Joe Biden’s policy towards Cuba.

Given that, in January 2021, Donald Trump was the one who included the Caribbean island on the list linked to terrorism, a modification in his criteria is not projected either.

At the time, the administration headed by the 78-year-old Republican justified its decision based on intelligence data by warning that members of the Colombian guerrilla of the National Liberation Army (ELN) were in Cuba under the pretext of starting peace negotiations with the legitimately recognized government.

Later, with the arrival of the Democrats to the US presidency, the fate of Cubans became even more rarefied, as Joe Biden’s advisors assured that “the Cuban government repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism by granting safe haven to guerrillas.” .

And to support his hypothesis he pointed out that the Cuban presidency had ignored the request presented by Colombia to carry out the extradition of Pablo Tejada and Pablo Beltrán, considering them main leaders of the ELN.

In 2021, the State Department again included the Caribbean island on the list of sponsors of terrorism. (Credit: Charles Dharapak / AP)

To this must be added the recurring complaint of the US government towards President Miguel Díaz-Canel that “Cuba also continues to harbor several US fugitives from justice wanted on charges related to political violence, many of whom have resided in Cuba for decades” .

It should be noted that, For the island’s government to be classified as a sponsor of terrorism, it implies enormous effects on its economy.because in addition to restricting the possibility of negotiating what it produces, it cannot satisfy its demands, especially for food and energy, which has plunged it into a crisis.

However, Cubans have managed to adapt to the situation, because before being sanctioned again they spent 33 years being part of the uncomfortable list. until, in 2015, President Barack Obama removed them from it.

Keep reading:

• Cuba declares itself ready to “face” Donald Trump’s second term

• “Leaving Cuba is a reality check with the world, because there it is like living in another galaxy”: Abraham Jiménez Enoa, Cuban journalist

• Government of Colombia and ELN agree to resume peace process