Tell the White House: Cuba is not a Sponsor of Terror

Today’s Episode: Tell the White House: Cuba is not a
Sponsor of Terror


Guest: activist, author and co-founder of CODEPINK, Medea
Benjamin. 


Background


In the last days of the outgoing Trump administration, then
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added Cuba back onto the list of
state sponsors of terrorism, after it had been removed from the
list in 2015 by the Obama-Biden administration. After a
significant review, the Obama-Biden White House had certified
that “(i) the Government of Cuba has not provided any support for
international terrorism during the preceding 6-month period; and
(ii) the Government of Cuba has provided assurances that it will
not support acts of international terrorism in the
future.”   


Trump’s re-designation of Cuba to the list was purely a political
move to please conservative Cuban-Americans. The excuse was that
Cuba was purportedly providing safe haven for Colombian
insurgents, but these insurgents were in Cuba because of the
island’s role in facilitating the historic Peace Accords between
the Colombian government and a guerrilla group. Insurgent
activities years ago during Colombia’s civil strife does not fit
the definition of international terrorism, and the guerilla
representatives were in Cuba as part of an internationally
recognized process of peace negotiations supported by the United
States, Norway, Colombia and other nations. 


By being on this list, Cuba is subjected to a series of sanctions
and international financial restrictions that limit the nation’s
ability to carry out critical financial transactions, including
those needed to advance its efforts to combat the pandemic and
reboot its economy.


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Additional Links


https://www.codepink.org/cuba-no-terror





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