Cuba announced on Tuesday that it would release 553 prisoners in response to the U.S. removing the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. This decision, which was welcomed by the families of jailed protesters, came just days before President Joe Biden was set to leave office. The White House confirmed that Biden had made the move as one of his final actions in office, ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. However, the decision is likely to be reversed by Trump, who reinstated Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism during his final days in office in 2021.
“An assessment has been completed, and we do not have information that supports Cuba’s designation as being a state sponsor of terrorism,” a senior Biden Administration official told reporters.
The deal was negotiated with the help of the Catholic Church for the release of “political prisoners in Cuba and those who have been detained unjustly”, the official added.
According to official Cuban reports, around 500 people were sentenced to up to 25 years in prison for their involvement in anti-government protests, though rights groups and the U.S. embassy estimate the number to be closer to 1,000. Some of those sentenced have already been released after serving part of their sentences.
Cuba expressed support for Washington’s decision on Tuesday, calling it a positive step but also lamented that the country remains under U.S. sanctions that have been in place since 1962. Shortly after, Cuba’s foreign ministry announced the release of 553 individuals who had been imprisoned for a variety of offenses.
The Cuban government continues to blame the U.S. blockade for exacerbating its economic crisis, which has led to severe shortages in fuel, food, medicine, and electricity.
During Donald Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021, U.S. sanctions against Cuba were tightened, reversing the policy of détente that had been pursued under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Before taking office, Joe Biden had promised to adjust U.S. policy towards Cuba but delayed action after Havana’s crackdown on the 2021 protests.
Analysts point to several factors contributing to Cuba’s economic struggles, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the tourism industry, and economic mismanagement by the government. Despite these challenges, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has called U.S. sanctions “genocidal” and stated that Cuba is prepared to face “more difficult circumstances” following Trump’s election.
A White House statement indicated that President Biden would also waive certain provisions of the Libertad Act, which forms the legal basis for the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Additionally, Biden plans to rescind a Trump-era policy known as National Security Presidential Memorandum 5, which had imposed restrictions on financial transactions with specific Cuban entities.
Separately, Cuba had hosted peace talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) from 2012 to 2016, which resulted in the FARC agreeing to lay down their arms.
