President Joe Biden will withdraw the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism as part of a prisoner release deal, the White House announced Tuesday.
Shortly afterward, Cuba announced it would release 553 prisoners held for “various crimes.” It is hoped that among them will be participants in the anti-government protests four years ago.
President-elect Donald Trump reinstated designating the country as terrorist in the final days of his first presidency in 2021, banning U.S. economic aid and arms exports to the country.
But on Tuesday, a Biden administration official said an assessment of the situation presented “no information” supporting the designation.
Cuba said Biden’s decision was a step “in the right direction” despite its “limited nature.”
“This decision puts an end to specific coercive measures which, among many others, cause serious damage to the Cuban economy, with serious consequences for the population,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Hundreds of prisoners will be “gradually” released following talks brokered by the Catholic Church, said a separate statement read hours later.
Details about the prisoners were not announced – it was hoped the deal would lead to the release of some protesters jailed after large anti-government demonstrations in Cuba over the country’s economic decline in 2021.
Cuba currently sits alongside North Korea, Syria and Iran. the list of American states that support terrorism.
This means that they are considered by the United States to have “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism”.
In adding Cuba to the list after it was removed in 2015 by President Barack Obama, Trump cited the communist country’s support for Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
At the time, Cuba called the decision “cynical,” “hypocritical” and an act of “political opportunism.”
In addition to provoking the release of prisoners, this decision is also significant because it can be seen as a step towards the normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States.
This could open the way for dialogue on other controversial issues.
It could also improve Cuba’s dire economic situation, as some major banks and foreign investors struggle to operate legally there.
Biden must brief Congress on his plans, which also include rolling back financial restrictions imposed on some Cubans by the Trump era, according to a White House statement.
It will also suspend the ability of individuals to reclaim property confiscated in Cuba, the statement said.
It is unclear whether Trump will reverse this latest decision when he returns to office on January 20.
The president-elect’s nominee for next U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has long advocated for sanctions against Cuba.
His family left the country in the 1950s, before the communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power.
