Biden Removes Cuba from the List of Countries That Support Terrorism

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, announced that, just days before leaving office, he decided to remove Cuba from the list of countries that support terrorism. This decision was made after speaking directly with Pope Francis and was coordinated with the Vatican.

Why Was This Decision Made?

In addition to the intervention of the Pope, several countries, such as Chile, Spain, and Canada, also asked the United States to remove Cuba from this list. Cuba has been under a regime led by the Castro brothers for several decades.

The White House also mentioned that as part of this agreement, Cuba committed to releasing several political prisoners. A spokesperson from the U.S. government explained:

“Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration, we have worked to support the Cuban people, promoting respect for human rights and their political and economic well-being.”

He added:

“We have repeatedly asked the Cuban government to release political prisoners and respect the freedoms of its people, allowing them to determine their own future.”

Measures Announced by the U.S. Government

The U.S. government outlined the following actions after removing Cuba from the list of countries that support terrorism:

1. Cuba Will No Longer Be on the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism
   After reviewing the situation, the U.S. government concluded that there was insufficient evidence to keep Cuba on the list. Congress will be notified of this decision. A spokesperson said:

   “The list and the evaluation have been completed, and we have no information supporting the inclusion of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.”

2. Suspension of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act
   This measure means that lawsuits regarding properties confiscated in Cuba can no longer be filed in U.S. courts. The goal is to reduce economic tensions between the two countries.
3. Cancellation of National Security Presidential Memorandum 5
   This removes restrictions that prevented business transactions with certain entities in Cuba. With this action, economic relations between the two countries could become more flexible.

International Response and Cuba’s Commitment

These decisions also respond to requests from several U.S. allies, such as Colombia, Spain, and Brazil, who have recognized Cuba’s important role in peace negotiations.

In turn, the Cuban government, in collaboration with the Vatican and the United States, committed to releasing political prisoners soon. According to authorities, the release will be “significant” and will happen “soon.”