Biden to remove Cuba’s terrorism sponsor designation and undo Trump order
President Joe Biden has announced plans to lift the US designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, undoing an order by former and President-elect Donald Trump.
Just six days before Trump returns to the White House, Biden on Tuesday notified Congress that he will remove the designation as part of an initiative to free political prisoners on the Communist island.
The move reverses an action taken by Trump only days before his own term ended in 2021. The Republican added Cuba to the state sponsor of terrorism list at that time and it has stayed there since, in the company of Iran, North Korea and Syria.
Biden also intends to rescind a 2017 memorandum Trump issued that brought sanctions against Cuba.
‘In taking these steps to bolster the ongoing dialogue between the government of Cuba and the Catholic Church, President Biden is also honoring the wisdom and counsel that has been provided to him by many world leaders, especially in Latin America, who have encouraged him to take these actions, on how best to advance the human rights of the Cuban people,’ stated White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The Cuban foreign ministry said it told Pope Francis that it will release 533 people who were convicted on a range of crimes in a phased process. The identities of those individuals were not immediately disclosed.
Biden’s move could quickly be undone when Trump is inaugurated on Monday and his administration takes over.
Trump’s pick for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is of Cuban descent but long supported sanctions against the island. Rubio’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled for Wednesday.
A sponsor of terror designation limits a country from receiving foreign assistance from the US and bans defense sales and exports.
The Biden administration said that the incoming president and Congress will be able to review Biden’s order and that they have been in contact with Trump’s team.
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