President Joe Biden removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, according to a White House announcement Tuesday.
The White House said Cuba has not provided aid to a terrorist organization for the last six months and provided no indication that it would sponsor terrorism, according to the announcement. Cuba was previously put on the list by the president-elect Donald Trump’s first administration, saying the regime does “oppress its people” and also supported the National Liberation Army, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, according to the U.S. Embassy in Cuba on Jan. 11, 2021.
“The United States will continue to support the Cuban people in their desire for a democratic government and respect for human rights, including freedom of religion, expression, and association,” the U.S. Embassy in Cuba said in 2021 announcing the most recent designation. “Until these rights and freedoms are respected, we will continue to hold the regime accountable.”
Cuba is still ruled by a communist dictatorship, being one of the most unfree nations in the world, according to Freedom House’s index of nations. Human rights abuses in Cuba include the regular practice of torture, political imprisonment, arbitrary arrests and squalid prison conditions, according to a 2023 State Department report.
As of August 2023, there are an estimated 1,047 political prisoners in Cuba, according to the State Department report. However, the number could be larger since Cuba does not disclose the information publicly.
Trump-nominated Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been a staunch proponent of sanctions on the island nation, and he is likely to roll back Biden’s move, according to The Associated Press. Rubio faces his confirmation hearing on Wednesday in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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