The US has removed Cuba from a list of countries it claims are not fully cooperating in its fight against terrorism. The move was based on the resumption of law enforcement cooperation between Cuba and the US, which the official said was deemed “no longer appropriate.”
The Biden administration’s decision marks a symbolic but tepid move, as it has largely maintained Trump-era restrictions on the Communist-run island.
The cooperation against terrorism list, which the State Department is required to provide to Congress, is not the same as the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Cuba has previously been designated a state sponsor of terrorism by former President Trump, which has contributed to a severe economic crisis and shortages of food, fuel, and medicine.
The State Department official said the state sponsor designation is determined by separate statutory criteria, and any future review of Cuba’s status would be based on the law and criteria established by Congress.
Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez applauded the decision but said it did not go far enough and that political manipulation of the issue should cease. North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela remain listed as not cooperating fully with US counterterrorism efforts.
