President Joe Biden is to remove the US designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism as part of a prisoner release deal, the White House said on Tuesday.
Shortly afterwards, Cuba announced it would release 553 prisoners detained for “diverse crimes”.
Cuba currently sits alongside North Korea, Syria and Iran on the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list.
He will also suspend the ability of individuals to make claims to confiscated property in Cuba, the statement read.
The president-elect’s nominee as the next US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has long advocated for sanctions on Cuba.
The White House announced Tuesday that as part of a prisoner release agreement, President Joe Biden will lift the United States’ designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Shortly after, Cuba declared that 553 prisoners who had been imprisoned for “diverse crimes” would be released. Those who took part in anti-government demonstrations four years ago are hoped to be among them.
In the last days of his first term in 2021, President-elect Donald Trump reinstituted the nation’s terror designation, prohibiting the export of weapons and financial assistance from the United States to the nation.
However, a Biden administration official stated on Tuesday that an evaluation of the circumstances had yielded “no information” to support the designation.
Despite its “limited nature,” Cuba characterized Biden’s action as a step “in the right direction.”.
According to a statement from the Cuban ministry of foreign affairs, “this decision puts an end to specific coercive measures that, along with many others, cause serious damage to the Cuban economy, with a severe effect on the population.”.
A separate statement read a few hours later that hundreds of prisoners would be released “gradually” after discussions mediated by the Catholic Church.
Information about the detainees has not been made public; it was believed that the agreement would lead to the release of some demonstrators who had been detained following significant anti-government demonstrations in Cuba in 2021 over the country’s economic downturn.
Cuba is currently listed on the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list along with Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
“Repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism” is how the United States defines them.
Citing the communist nation’s support for Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Trump added Cuba back to the list after President Barack Obama had removed it in 2015.
The action was referred to as “cynical,” “hypocritical,” and an act of “political opportunism” by Cuba at the time.
This decision is important not only because it led to the release of the prisoners but also because it may be interpreted as a step toward normalizing ties between the US and Cuba.
This might open the door for discussion on other divisive topics.
Due to the difficulty some large banks and foreign investors have had operating legally in Cuba, it might also help the country’s dire economic situation.
The White House said that Biden will inform Congress of his plans, which include lifting financial restrictions on certain Cubans that were put in place during the Trump administration.
In Cuba, he will also prevent people from claiming property that has been seized, according to the statement.
Whether Trump will change this most recent ruling when he takes office again on January 20 is uncertain.
Marco Rubio, the president-elect’s choice to be the next US secretary of state, has long supported sanctions against Cuba.
In the 1950s, prior to the communist revolution that installed Fidel Castro as leader, his family departed the nation.