the Biden administration She faces pressure from both sides of the political aisle for her move to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
US He slapped a cup With the appointment set for 2021 shortly before then-President Donald Trump leaves office.
In a statement issued Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted that the administration is “taking several steps to support the Cuban people as part of the understanding with the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis and to improve the lives of Cubans.” “.
She continued: “First, we informed Congress today that President Biden has decided that Cuba should no longer be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.”
President Joe Biden speaks at the NAACP's 115th National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“Second, we informed Congress that the President has issued a waiver of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, also known as freedom The law is for six months. Finally, President Biden rescinded the 2017 National Security Presidential Memorandum No. 5 on Cuba Policy to remove the so-called “Restricted List,” thereby eliminating additional regulations regarding U.S. persons and entities’ dealings with Cuban persons and entities, beyond what is currently provided. “The Catholic Church has also informed us that the Cuban government will soon begin releasing a large number of political prisoners,” she added.
Democrats are divided on this issue.
The head of the Florida Democratic Party urged the administration to “immediately reverse course.”
“I am disappointed in the Biden administration’s plan to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,” Nikki Fried said in a statement shared on the Florida Democratic Party’s Page “We condemn in the strongest terms the removal of Cuba from this list, as well as any potential lifting of economic sanctions, and we call on the Biden administration to immediately reverse course.”
US Representative Ritchie Torres, Democrat of New York, also disagreed with the administration's decision.
“Do a majority of Cuban Americans support removing Cuba, a US adversary, from the list of state sponsors of terrorism? If no, why is the Biden administration needlessly alienating Cuban Americans? I agree with the Florida Democratic Party here,” the congressman tweeted. .
US Representative Kathy Castor, Democrat of Florida, announced in a statement that “authoritarian Cuba has failed its people, and I do not agree with the president on the necessity of lifting sanctions without ending the repression of the Cuban regime.”
A front view of the US Embassy in Havana on January 14, 2025. (Maylene Alonso/AFP via Getty Images)
Some Republicans in Florida have issued strong criticism.
Representative Carlos Gimenez, Republican of Florida, denounced Biden's decision as “pathetic and cowardly.”
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., declared in a tweet, “Once again, the Democrats betrayed the Cubans! Shame on the entire Biden administration for taking Cuba off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Cuba is a leading sponsor of terrorism, harboring, training, and enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, and other enemies.” Terrorists for the United States.”
Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis She also criticized the administration.
“The Biden administration continues to seek to leave as much debris behind it as possible on its way out the door. Cuba should not be removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,” he declared in a post on X.
The Cuban flag is seen near the US Embassy for a visa application in Havana on January 15, 2025. (Adalberto Roque/AFP via Getty Images)
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But some Democrats praised the administration.
“I welcome the Biden administration’s steps to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism – a long-overdue action that will help normalize relations with our neighbor,” the representative said. Ilhan OmarD-Minnesota said in a statement.
