US Removes Cuba From List Of Countries Not Fully Cooperating In Counterterrorism

The Biden administration, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has made a significant decision regarding Cuba’s status in relation to counterterrorism efforts, removing the communist nation from the State Department’s list of countries deemed “not cooperating fully” — a decision that has sparked backlash.

In a statement reportedly circulated to members of Congress and media outlets, Secretary Blinken cited improved cooperation between Cuban and U.S. law enforcement agencies as the basis for Cuba’s removal from the list. The statement highlighted changes in circumstances from 2022 to 2023 that led to the determination that Cuba’s inclusion on the list was no longer appropriate.

While Cuba has been removed from the list of countries not fully cooperating in counterterrorism efforts, it remains on the official list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST), alongside Iran, Syria, and North Korea. The statement emphasized that any review of Cuba’s SST designation would adhere to legal criteria established by Congress.

The decision to remove Cuba from the list follows a pattern of shifting diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba in recent years. Former President Barack Obama initiated a thaw in relations with Cuba during his administration, leading to the removal of Cuba from the SST list in 2015. However, under the Trump administration, Cuba was once again designated a state sponsor of terrorism in January 2021.

The Biden administration’s decision to remove Cuba from the list of countries not fully cooperating in counterterrorism efforts has garnered mixed reactions. While some view it as a positive step toward normalization of relations, others express concern about Cuba’s historical ties to international terrorist organizations.

Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Carlos A. Giménez (R-FL), along with Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL), condemned the decision, expressing concerns about Cuba’s support for terrorist organizations and its harboring of fugitives from U.S. justice.

“Once again, the Biden Administration has made a foreign policy blunder that undermines our national security interests. The feeble explanation for the refusal to designate the anti-American terrorist state of Cuba as a ‘not fully cooperating country’ is as misguided as the rest of its foreign policy approach,” said Díaz-Balart.

Salazar criticized the decision, questioning how Cuba, a regime with ties to terrorism and international terrorists, could be considered to “cooperate” with the United States on counterterrorism efforts.

“Like so many in my community, I was born in Cuba and was forced from home shortly after the Communist takeover. President [Joe] Biden’s latest pathetic concession to the murderous, terrorist Castro regime is not only unwarranted and misguided, but dangerous for America’s national security,” added Gimenez.

Rubio expressed concerns about Cuba’s support for foreign terrorist organizations and its harboring of fugitives wanted by American courts.

Scott also criticized Biden’s approach, accusing him of weakening national security and supporting terrorism through appeasing the Cuban regime.

The decision to remove Cuba from the list of non-cooperating countries comes amid ongoing debates about the country’s ties to international terrorist organizations. The Castro regime’s connections with groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Colombian Marxist terrorist groups have long been a point of contention.

While some view Cuba’s removal from the list as a positive step toward normalization of relations, conservative lawmakers warn that it could embolden the regime and undermine U.S. national security interests.

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