In 1982, then-President Ronald Reagan added Cuba to its list of ‘state sponsors of terrorism’ for the first time.
President Joe Biden wants to remove Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. The White House said on Tuesday that he made the decision as part of a prisoner release agreement.
Shortly after the announcement from the White House, Cuba announced the release of 553 prisoners held in the country for various crimes. The detainees are expected to include those who took part in anti-government protests four years ago.
It’s unclear whether Biden’s decision will reverse after Trump takes office. Trump will be sworn in for a second term as President of the United States on January 20. He has chosen Marco Rubio as his foreign minister. Rubio has advocated for an embargo on Cuba.
The island nation was removed from the list in 2015 under President Barack Obama. But Trump came to power in his first term and criticized communist Cuba for helping Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and re-added the country to the list.
Cuba said Biden’s move, albeit on a limited scale, was a step in the right direction. The country’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the decision would put an end to certain coercive measures. These measures, among other things, have caused serious damage to the Cuban economy, as well as the devastating impact on the population.
The foreign ministry said in a separate statement that hundreds of prisoners would be released gradually. No details were given on which prisoners would be released.
In 2021, anti-government protests broke out in Cuba after the country’s economy collapsed. Several protesters were arrested at the time. They are expected to be among the prisoners to be released.
The United States currently has Cuba, North Korea, Syria and Iran on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Now, the decision to remove Cuba from the list not only opens the door to prisoner release, but is also seen as a step towards normalizing relations between the country and the United States. The move could also pave the way for dialogue between the two countries on other contentious issues.
The move could also help save Cuba’s sinking economy. Due to the inclusion of terrorists in the country, some big banks and foreign investors have to struggle to operate legally.
The White House said in a statement that Biden will brief Congress on his plans for Cuba. The plan also calls for lifting economic sanctions imposed on some Cubans under Trump. Biden also plans to limit his ability to claim ownership of privately owned assets confiscated in Cuba, the statement said.
However, it is not yet clear whether Biden’s decision will change after Trump takes office. Trump will be sworn in for a second term as President of the United States on January 20. He has chosen Marco Rubio as his foreign minister. Rubio has advocated for an embargo on Cuba.
Rubio is Cuban-American. When Cuba’s communist revolution broke out in the 1950s, Rubio’s family fled Cuba for the United States. Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba through that revolution.