Cuba removed from the list of countries considered non-cooperative in counterterrorism

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Cuba on Wednesday from the State Department’s short list of countries that it considers uncooperative against violent groups.

In a statement, the State Department said Blinken discovered that Cuban and U.S. officials were again working together on counterterrorism and other efforts.

The State Department cited Cuba as a “fully uncooperative country” in 2022, saying Cuba has refused to collaborate with Colombia in the extradition of members of the National Liberation Army group.

However, Colombia later withdrew the arrest warrants for these members. “Additionally, the United States and Cuba resumed law enforcement cooperation in 2023, including in counterterrorism,” Wednesday’s statement said.

The State Department, in accordance with U.S. arms export laws, maintains a list of countries considered not to be fully cooperating in combating terrorism.

The US kept North Korea, Syria, Iran and Venezuela on the list in Wednesday’s decisions.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez acknowledged the decision but said Washington could do more.

“The US has just admitted what everyone knows: that #Cuba fully collaborates with efforts against terrorism,” said Rodríguez on X, formerly Twitter.

But he added that “all political manipulation of the issue must cease and our arbitrary and unfair inclusion in the list of countries that sponsor terrorism must end.”

___

Associated Press writer Andrea Rodríguez reported from Havana.