President Joe Biden has incited conservative outrage after he announced that he will remove Cuba from the US’ State Sponsors of Terrorism list.
In making the decision, President Biden claimed Cuba had not supported any terrorist groups for the preceding six months and that it had committed to not supporting international terrorism in the future.
Cuba was originally placed on the state sponsor of terrorism list by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, subsequently removed by President Barack Obama in 2015, and once again added to the list by President Donald Trump.
Biden’s decision follows his administration’s pattern of conciliatory actions towards Cuba, last of which was removing Cuba from a list of countries identified as uncooperative with the US’ counterterrorism efforts.
Conservative lawmakers lamented Biden’s rescission of Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list.
Among others, representatives Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), and Mario-Diaz Balart (R-FL) publicly criticized Biden’s move.
“Once again, the Democrats have BETRAYED the Cubans,” said the representatives. “Shame on the entire Biden Administration for taking Cuba off the State Sponsor of Terrorism list.”
State Sponsor of Terrorism designation carries significant mandatory sanctions including restrictions on U.S. aid, bans on defense exports, sanctions over exports of dual use items, and numerous financial and other restrictions.
According to the State Department, Cuba continues harboring international terrorists wanted by the US.
Among these is Ishmail Muslim Ali, who was convicted of murdering eight persons in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1972 and hijacking a plane to flee to Cuba in 1984.
“Cuba is a LEADING sponsor of Terrorism, harboring, training & enabling Hamas, Hezbollah & other terrorist enemies of the USA,” continued the lawmakers.
President Trump, who expanded sanctions on Cuba during his first administration, is expected to return Cuba to the State Sponsor of Terrorism list.
Trump’s Secretary of State nominee, Senator Marco Rubio, previously qualified Biden’s Cuba conciliatory moves as “absurd” and further added Cuba “supports foreign terrorist organizations in Colombia, and Harbors ETA terrorists as well as fugitives wanted by American courts.”
