The former President of the United States, Donald Trump, revoked Joe Biden's order that excluded Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. This action was one of the last decisions made by Trump before the end of his first term.
The measure taken by Biden included suspending the ability of U.S. citizens to sue in U.S. courts for the expropriation of their properties in Cuba, as well as lifting some financial sanctions. Additionally, on the same day this decision was announced in Cuba, 553 individuals convicted of various crimes were released.
Cuba had been excluded from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism in 2015, as part of a rapprochement process led by former President Barack Obama, but returned to the list in January of this year. This designation implies a ban on arms sales, restrictions on foreign aid, stricter visa requirements, and economic sanctions.
In his final hours in power, Trump revoked Biden's decision, arguing that the presence of members of the Colombian guerrilla group ELN in Cuba justified considering the country a sponsor of terrorism. On the other hand, Marco Rubio, confirmed as Secretary of State of the U.S., reiterated that there is no doubt that Cuba is a country that promotes terrorism.
The Cuban government described Washington's decision as a step in the right direction but limited, emphasizing that the economic war continues. Biden had signed the order excluding Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism less than a week before leaving office, as part of a process for the release of Cuban prisoners mediated by the Vatican.
