On May 13, the US Department of State once again included Cuba in the list of countries that do not collaborate in the fight against terrorism, along with Venezuela, North Korea, Iran and Syria.
The inclusion in this list of Cuba, from which it left in 2015 (after 33 years), implies that the island is prohibited from selling or licensing for the export of defense articles and services to these States.
The excuse of the US to include Cuba again in this list is that it has not committed itself to the Colombian government in the “fight against terrorism” and they accuse their government of harboring several fugitives from US justice.
Among others, Washington refers to the peace delegation of the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) that was negotiating on the island with the Colombian government. The delegation has had to stay in Havana due to the refusal of the government of its country to guarantee its safe return to Colombian territory. Cuba has promoted and supported negotiations between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) and the Colombian government for years, with the objective, achieved at least theoretically, to reach a peace agreement between the parties.
Regarding Venezuela, its permanence in the list responds to the accusation to President Nicolás Maduro and his officials of “continuing to allow positive contexts towards terrorists in the region, maintaining their presence.”
This occurs while the United States hides its state terrorism against Cuba, Venezuela and other countries while granting impunity to violent groups in its territory, without forgetting that on April 30 the Trump Administration did not prevent the terrorist attack against the Cuban Embassy in Washington, nor it has investigated it rigorously.
Cuba’s unjust presence on this list serves to intensify the application of the criminal measures of the blockade that the United States maintains against the island. Furthermore, these events will become a possible refusal of financial entities to operate with the Caribbean country.
For all these reasons, the Party of the European Left:
– Condemns and rejects the inclusion of Cuba and Venezuela in this list and demands their immediate withdrawal.
– Reminds the US to investigate the terrorist attack on the Cuban Embassy in Washington and prosecute all those responsible.
– Expresses its solidarity with the Cuban people and their government, as well as with the Venezuelan people and their legitimate government in the face of continuous attacks by the United States.
– Requests also clarification of the role that the Government of Colombia is having in this context caused by imperialism.