Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Cuba Wednesday from the State Department’s short list of countries that it deems less than fully cooperative against violent groups. In a statement, the State Department said Blinken had found that Cuban and U.S. law enforcement were again working together on counterterrorism and other efforts.
Quick Read:
- Cuba’s Status Updated: Secretary of State Antony Blinken has officially removed Cuba from the State Department’s list of countries deemed not fully cooperative in counterterrorism efforts.
- Background: Previously, in 2022, Cuba was classified as “not fully cooperating” due to its refusal to engage with Colombia regarding the extradition of members of the National Liberation Army.
- Resolution and Cooperation: Colombia eventually withdrew its arrest warrants for the group, and the U.S. resumed law enforcement cooperation with Cuba in 2023, including efforts in counterterrorism.
- Remaining on the List: Despite the update on Cuba, the U.S. continues to list North Korea, Syria, Iran, and Venezuela as countries not fully cooperative with U.S. counterterrorism efforts.
The Associated Press has the story:
State Dept removes Cuba from short list of countries deemed uncooperative on counterterrorism
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Cuba Wednesday from the State Department’s short list of countries that it deems less than fully cooperative against violent groups.
In a statement, the State Department said Blinken had found that Cuban and U.S. law enforcement were again working together on counterterrorism and other efforts.
The State Department had cited Cuba as a “not fully cooperating country” in 2022, saying that Cuba had refused to engage with Colombia in the extradition of members of the National Liberation Army group.
Colombia later dropped its arrest warrants for those members, however. “Moreover, the United States and Cuba resumed law enforcement cooperation in 2023, including on counterterrorism,” Wednesday’s statement said.
The State Department, in compliance with U.S. laws on arms exports, maintains a list of countries perceived as not cooperating fully on counterterrorism.
The U.S. kept North Korea, Syria, Iran and Venezuela on the list in Wednesday’s rulings.
