Biden lifting Cuba’s designation as state sponsor of terrorism
Biden administration will remove Cuba from List of countries supporting terrorism as part of a deal to release political prisoners in exchange for easing restrictions.
The Catholic Church brokered a deal with Cuba that would allow for the humanitarian release of dozens of political prisoners before the Biden administration ends at noon on Jan. 20, a senior administration official said. The prisoners were arrested after the government brutally cracked down on protests in 2021.
This is a political move that the incoming Trump administration may reverse. senator. Marco RubioTrump’s pick for secretary of state, whose family fled Cuba in the 1950s, has previously publicly expressed support for sanctions against the communist country.
Senior administration officials said that based on recent government assessments, there is no evidence to support continued state support for terrorism and that they would base their study on the same information if the Trump administration decides to redesignate Cuba. The Biden team has been in contact with their counterparts on the Trump team on the issue.
President Obama similarly removed Cuba from the terrorism list, followed by his successor, President-elect Donald Trump Cuba will rejoin in 2021.
