The fight is just beginning - CSC statement on Cuba's removal from the US 'State Sponsors of Terrorism' list
Campaign News | Wednesday, 15 January 2025
The Biden administration’s decision to remove Cuba from the US’ State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list is welcome, but it comes four years too late and critically does nothing to end the 63-year blockade – the fundamental cause of shortages and hardship for the Cuban people.
In January 2021, Donald Trump used the final days of his presidency to spuriously designate Cuba a SSOT – a listing which has cost the Cuban people dearly. As a consequence, international banks refused to do business with Cuba, exacerbating existing shortages in food, fuel and medicines and contributing to the current humanitarian crisis. This week, Biden’s administration has finally responded to four years of vigorous international campaigning and removed Cuba from the SSOT list. In addition, he has suspended Title III of the Helms-Burton Act and eliminated the list of Cuban ‘restricted entities’ banned from financial transactions – two of the 243 extra measures introduced by the Trump administration.
This is a victory for the international solidarity movement and people of Cuba who have been calling out the baseless nature of the policy and the hypocrisy of the US government, which is currently bankrolling the terrorism of the Israeli state in Gaza.
CSC thanks all supporters who signed the #OffTheList open letter to the US ambassador, the British MPs who signed parliamentary Early Day Motion 1550, and trade unionists and members who have attended the numerous meetings and actions held during the last four years to campaign for Cuba to be removed from the list. Sadly the fight is not over – it is just beginning.
The incoming Trump administration, and its shortly to be approved anti-Cuban Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will undoubtedly work swiftly to return Cuba to the SSOT list, allowing little or no time for international banks to resume banking with Cuba. CSC is committed to the coming fight against a US State Department which will have Cuba in its sights, and we know that Cuba can rely on all friends to do the same.
