Rosa María Payá, a prominent Cuban democracy activist, has sharply criticized the Joe Biden administration for its decision to remove Cuba from the list of countries that do not fully cooperate with U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Via her account on X, Payá, who is also the founder of the political initiative Cuba Decide, described Biden's move as "schizophrenic."
She pointed out that the Cuban regime supported "terrorist organizations involved in the attack on Israel on October 7" and "sent soldiers and resources to the terrorist state of Russia in its war of aggression in Europe" between 2022 and 2024. Payá also mentioned that Havana called for an alliance with Iran and was accused before the International Criminal Court of crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela.
"With this nonsense, the State Department is whitewashing the Cuban regime and betraying the national security interests of the American people," she asserted.
State Department's Controversial Decision
On Wednesday, the State Department excluded Cuba from the list of countries that do not fully cooperate with counterterrorism efforts, announcing that North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela remain on the list for failing to meet cooperation standards. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the document, stating that the conditions that previously placed Cuba in this category have changed.
This action has been interpreted as the first step by Washington to potentially remove the Caribbean nation from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. However, the State Department clarified that the designation on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, which includes Iran, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba, is managed independently.
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently requested that the U.S. government definitively exclude the country from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, calling its inclusion arbitrary and unfounded. The Cuban regime's statement was published on Wednesday following the Biden administration’s decision to remove Cuba from the list of countries not fully cooperating with counterterrorism efforts.
Implications of Removing Cuba from the Terrorism List
The decision to remove Cuba from the counterterrorism cooperation list has sparked controversy and raised several questions. Here are some frequently asked questions about the implications of this move.
Why did the Biden administration remove Cuba from the list?
The Biden administration stated that the conditions which previously warranted Cuba's inclusion on the list have changed, justifying their removal.
What are the criticisms of this decision?
Critics, including Rosa María Payá, argue that Cuba continues to support terrorist activities and that the decision undermines U.S. national security interests.
Could this lead to Cuba being removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list?
While some interpret this as a step toward removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, the State Department has clarified that decisions are managed independently.