US Drops Cuba Criticism On Terrorism Cooperation

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th May, 2024) The United States on Wednesday dropped its finding that Cuba is not cooperating on terrorism, although it has not removed its long-time adversary from a controversial blacklist of state terror sponsors.

In a report to Congress, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that four countries -- Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela -- were "not cooperating fully" on counterterrorism.

Cuba had appeared on the list the previous year but was removed.

The State Department said its previous finding had been based on Cuba's refusal to extradite back to Colombia militants from the ELN guerrilla group.

Colombia's first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, has since suspended arrest warrants for the guerrillas, the State Department said.

"Moreover, the United States and Cuba resumed law enforcement cooperation in 2023, including on counterterrorism," a State Department spokesperson said.

"Therefore, the Department determined that Cuba's continued certification as a 'not fully cooperating country' was no longer appropriate."

The previous secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, had cited the ELN extradition issue in putting Cuba back on a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism in one of his final acts before leaving office in 2021.

President Joe Biden's administration has not removed Cuba from the list, which severely impedes investment by putting businesses at risk of US sanctions.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said that the US report to Congress showed why his country should be removed from the state sponsor list.

"The United States has just admitted what we all know -- that Cuba is fully cooperating with forces against terrorism," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"It ought to end all political manipulation of this issue and put an end to its arbitrary and unjust inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism."

Unlike his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama, Biden has shown little interest in reconciling with Cuba, a thorn in the side of the United States since the 1959 revolution of Fidel Castro.

Biden has instead stepped up pressure on human rights grounds after the communist authorities cracked down on rare protests.

Blinken has previously promised US lawmakers that he will not move to remove Cuba from the state sponsor blacklist.

Iran, North Korea and Syria are the other countries on the state sponsor list.

Venezuela remains off the state sponsor list. The United States recently moved to restore sanctions on Venezuela as hopes dimmed for a deal in which leftist leader Nicolas Maduro would hold free elections.