WASHINGTON – After years of debate, the Biden administration has informed Congress that it will remove Cuba from the U.S. list of states that support terrorism, a designation given to the island nation in the final days of the previous Trump presidency.
Tuesday's decision was part of an agreement negotiated in part by the Roman Catholic Church to release political prisoners held in Cuba, U.S. officials said.
There is “currently no credible evidence that Cuba continues to support international terrorism,” a senior government official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Cuba has always seemed an odd member of the infamous club that also included Syria and Iran. Most experts and observers of the communist-run country maintained that it had not engaged in global terrorism equivalent to the alleged actions of other nations.
Former Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo added Cuba to the list without much explanation in his final week in office under then-President Trump. Being on the “State Sponsor of Terrorism” list is the darkest of all designations for a country.
Many Cuba experts assumed that President Biden, once in office, would reverse the designation.
After all, Biden was vice president when President Obama established historic ties with Cuba in 2015, restoring diplomatic ties and authorizing numerous trade and travel exchanges. Obama famously became the first US president in a century to travel to Havana and attend a baseball game with then-President Raul Castro.
But over the years, Biden made no move on the Cuba issue. Advocates for better relations protested steadily.
The Times repeatedly asked the State Department why no action was taken and was told that delisting was more complicated than listing and required a more thorough review.
It is currently not clear whether such a thorough investigation has taken place.
“With these steps to strengthen the ongoing dialogue between the Government of Cuba and the Catholic Church, President Biden also recognizes the wisdom and advice given to him by many world leaders, particularly in Latin America, who have encouraged him to do so.” Take these actions to best promote the human rights of the Cuban people,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The Roman Catholic Church maintains relatively good relations with the Cuban government. U.S. officials said the deal could lead to the release of “dozens” of political prisoners, many of whom were held for relatively minor violations such as protesting on the streets or publishing material deemed offensive to the government.
According to human rights groups, several hundred people have been detained by Cuban authorities for various alleged violations.
Havana welcomed Biden's move with reservations.
“This is a decision that points in the right direction,” the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Cuba has long called for an end to the U.S. embargo, which authorities there say cuts off food, supplies, trade and other businesses.
It is unclear how long this new status will last. Trump, who takes office again next week, has named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his secretary of state, and he is likely to be approved. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, is expected to take a particularly hard line on Cuba and may move quickly to reverse its terrorism designation.
Trump also named Mauricio Claver-Carone, a former White House National Security Council adviser who also supports tough sanctions against Cuba, as his special envoy for Latin America.
Many U.S. agricultural companies continue to do business with Cuba and have long advocated for easing trade restrictions.