Biden Removes Cuba From State Sponsors of Terrorism List
President Joe Biden is removing Cuba from the State Department's state sponsors of terrorism list, one of several steps his administration is taking to "improve the livelihood of Cubans," the White House announced Jan. 14.
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The Cuban government “has not provided any support for international terrorism” during the past six months, and it has “provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future,” Biden said. The de-listing lifts export restrictions on shipments of certain arms and dual-use items to the island, along with other trade prohibitions and restrictions.
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the move, insisting that Cuba continues to promote terrorism. “Joe Biden’s parting gift to dictators and terrorists around the world: taking Cuba off the state sponsors of terrorism list and making it easier for them to threaten our national security,” Scott tweeted. “This is reckless and dangerous.”
Both senators said they will work with the incoming Trump administration to reverse the decision. Cuba was added to the list by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the final days of the first Trump administration (see 2101110041).
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., welcomed Biden's action, saying Cuba should never have been placed on the list. "America’s policy toward Cuba is a broken, failed throwback to the Cold War," McGovern tweeted. "It's time for engagement to advance a better relationship & human rights."
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a House panel in December that the Biden administration had no plans to change its policy toward Cuba in its final weeks in office (see 2412160005). But days later, five Democratic senators urged Biden to remove Cuba from the terrorism list, saying “Cuba’s presence on the list has no factual or legal basis” and that the listing is hurting the ability of Cuba’s private sector to conduct basic commercial transactions and hindering the island country’s ability to receive humanitarian aid and import much-needed medical equipment.