News

US Removes Cuba From State Sponsors of Terrorism List

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - May 29, 2015 - 12:06 pm

Above: Havana

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The United States has removed Cuba from its State Sponsors of Terrorism list, the State Department announced Friday.

The move is a potentially game-changing policy shift.

“The rescission of Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism reflects our assessment that Cuba meets the statutory criteria for rescission,” the State Department said in a statement. “While the United States has significant concerns and disagreements with a wide range of Cuba’s policies and actions, these fall outside the criteria relevant to the rescission of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designation.”

The move comes after US President Barack Obama submitted a report last month indicating the administration’s intent to rescind Cuba’s designation from the list.

Congress had 45 days of “pre-notification,” but did not use the period to block the removal of Cuba from the list, despite objections from a number of lawmakers.

It’s not clear if that decision will have any impact on a decision by Congress to potentially lift the longstanding Cuban embargo.

So what does the removal mean? For starters, Cuba will now have increased access to world financial markets and create a pathway to access US banks, although that remains limited by the embargo.

The two sides remain engaged in talks on re-opening embassies in Havana and Washington.

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


This Marriott All-Inclusive Resort Is Coming to Barbados —  And You Can Book It With Points

new brand for the caribbean

Barbados has long been a haven for adults in search of refinement — the kind of place where luxury and culture blend in quiet, confident harmony. Now, that ethos is becoming the foundation of a new resort concept that aims […]


Related Posts guadeloupe is an island hopping paradise

Why Guadeloupe Is a Caribbean Island Hopping Paradise

Guadeloupe isn’t one island—it’s a self-contained archipelago of six inhabited isles (and countless islets and cays), each with its own rhythm, landscape, and identity. Set in the French Caribbean, Guadeloupe is unified by a strong Creole and French heritage, yet […]


The Story from the Latest Caribbean Hotel Data: Occupancy Lower, Rates Up Slightly 

montego bay

Caribbean hotel occupancy is declining. We won’t sugarcoat it (although it’s far more market-dependent, with many islands actually seeing climbs). But overall, region-wide, it’s down. That’s the story from the latest data from STR.  Occupancy in May was 61.7 percent […]


The Best Quick Caribbean Getaways from New York 

quick caribbean getaways from new york

Sometimes the best kind of Caribbean escape is the kind you can pull off without thinking. Just book a flight, pack a carry-on, and head south before the city knows you’re gone. From New York, that’s not a dream — […]