Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
Calls for Biden to return to Obama policy and delist Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism grow louder
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: As part of CODEPINK's campaign to end the U.S. blockade of Cuba, over 10,000 people and 100 organizations signed an open letter calling on Biden to abandon Trump’s failed policies towards Cuba and return to Obama’s diplomatic approach. While the letter commends Biden’s easing of travel restrictions to Cuba, it points out that it is not enough. US policies towards Cuba continue to worsen the humanitarian situation for people living in Cuba.
Biden’s campaign promise to return to a diplomatic approach with Cuba must include reversing the Trump administration’s decision to designate Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Removal from the list requires an inquiry into any terrorism-sponsored activity before providing a rescission request to Congress. The signers of the petition request Biden’s administration immediately complete that review and initiate proceedings to remove Cuba from the list.
When Trump listed Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism the island nation automatically became subjected to a series of sanctions and international financial restrictions that limit Cuba’s ability to carry out critical financial transactions, including those needed to advance its efforts to combat the pandemic. The economic deprivations to which U.S. sanctions contribute have resulted in the mass migration of Cubans, which is currently a major challenge to U.S. interests in border security, as well as causing a humanitarian crisis for the Cuban people that Biden’s administration claims to support.
Removing Cuba from the list would facilitate Cuba’s ability to access critical foreign assistance and humanitarian aid. It would also advance legitimate U.S. security and humanitarian interests and help the future of the Cuban people.
CODEPINK plans on delivering this letter to various progressive congress members throughout the week including Jim McGovern, Bernie Sanders and Ilhan Omar. The group will also deliver the letter to opposition figures that continue to advocate for hostility towards Cuba, including Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Menendez and Maria Elvira Salazar.
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