Particle.news

Download on the App Store

U.S. Recertifies Cuba as 'Not Fully Cooperating' on Counterterrorism

The State Department cites Cuba's refusal to extradite 11 U.S. fugitives, reinstating restrictions on defense exports under the Arms Export Control Act.

Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio certified Cuba as a 'not fully cooperating country' (NFCC) for 2024, reversing its removal from the list by the Biden administration in 2024.
  • The designation prohibits the sale or export of defense articles and services to Cuba, aligning it with other NFCC nations such as Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela.
  • The U.S. cited Cuba's refusal to discuss the extradition of 11 U.S. fugitives, including individuals facing terrorism-related charges, as a key factor in the recertification.
  • Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez labeled the decision as 'based on lies,' asserting that U.S. agencies had presented contrary evidence in 2024.
  • This move underscores continued U.S.-Cuba tensions over counterterrorism cooperation and harboring of fugitives, despite prior efforts to normalize relations.