In a remarkable policy shift, the United States has indicated readiness to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
In a valedictory statement, President Joe Biden disclosed the new posture that will secure freedom for some 553 Americans in Cuban prisons.
This agreement facilitated by the Catholic Church, comes just days before Donald Trump is scheduled to assume office as president.
During his first term, Trump restored Cuba to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, and it remains uncertain whether he will undo Biden’s decision after returning to power.
Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, told Fox News that “anything they, the Biden Administration, are doing right now we can do back, and no one should be under any illusion in terms of a change in Cuba policy.”
An official from the Biden administration said that in return for its removal, Cuba would “gradually” release 553 prisoners “who have been detained unjustly”.
Cuba’s foreign ministry stated that the agreement “puts an end to specific coercive measures” that it claimed had harmed the nation’s economy.
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While Havana did not disclose who might be released, relatives of individuals jailed following anti-government protests in 2021 expressed hope that their family members would be among those freed.
Liset Fonseca, whose 41-year-old son received a 10-year sentence for participating in the 2021 protests, said: “All the mothers of prisoners want our children to be free and out of that suffering, out of that hell that is the prisons in Cuba.”
“They should never have been in prison,” she told news agency.
Mothers express anguish over harsh prison sentences for Cuban protesters. Cuba currently shares the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list with North Korea, Syria, and Iran.
This designation means that Cuba is regarded by the US as having “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.”
Cuba was added back to the list in 2021 by Trump, who cited the nation’s support for Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
At the time, Cuba criticized the decision as “cynical,” “hypocritical,” and an example of “political opportunism.”
Beyond the prisoner release, the move holds broader implications as it could signal progress in normalizing relations between the US and Cuba.
This could open up avenues for discussions on other contentious matters.
It may also ease Cuba’s severe economic challenges, as legal barriers have deterred major banks and foreign investors from operating in the country.
Biden plans to notify Congress of his intentions, which include lifting certain Trump-era financial restrictions on Cubans, according to a White House statement.
The statement also noted Biden’s plan to suspend the ability of individuals to file claims regarding confiscated property in Cuba.
Crediblenewsng.com
