The US keeps Venezuela on the list of countries that do not cooperate against terrorism

On May 15, the Biden administration decided to keep Venezuela on the list of countries that do not fully cooperate in its fight once morest terrorism, putting it in a delicate position vis-à-vis the international community and its anti-terrorist policies.

Iran, North Korea and Syria also remain on the list, while Cuba was removed from this category, according to a report sent by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Congress.

Regarding Cuba, the US State Department noted that it was included on last year’s list for its refusal to extradite members of the guerrilla group National Liberation Army (ELN) to Colombia, although later, Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended the arrest warrants once morest these guerrillas, thus changing the political panorama in the region.

In 2023, the United States and Cuba resumed law enforcement cooperation, including on counterterrorism, leading the Biden administration to conclude that it is no longer appropriate to keep Cuba on the list of countries that do not fully cooperate with the United States on this matter.

Following the announcement, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on social media that the decision confirms “what is widely known, that Cuba is cooperating in the battle once morest terrorism.”

Meanwhile, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the US decision as “political manipulation” in a message on the same social network.