Former Leaders Across the World Urge President Biden to Reconsider Sanctions and Remove Cuba from State Sponsors of Terrorism List
A collective of former world leaders from Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia has issued an urgent appeal to President Joseph Biden to reconsider the United States’ stance on Cuba, specifically addressing the economic sanctions and Cuba’s inclusion on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. In a detailed letter dated September 11th, 2024, they highlighted the dire situation faced by the Cuban population and called for a more humanitarian approach to the decades-long political standoff.
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The letter underscores the severe impact of the U.S. sanctions on Cuba’s economy, describing the country as being at a “point of no return.” It points out that these unilateral sanctions have made the Cuban economy one of the most heavily impacted in the world. The leaders argue that the sanctions not only harm Cuba’s economy but also adversely affect the most vulnerable sectors of the Cuban population, especially in light of the recent pandemic.
Historical Context and Appeal for Diplomacy:
During the Obama administration, which President Biden was a part of, there were significant efforts toward easing sanctions and normalizing diplomatic relations between the two nations. This historical step was seen as progress toward mutual cooperation despite the countries’ differing ideological systems. The signatories of the letter remind President Biden of this effort and call for a return to this diplomatic path.
The letter argues that international relations should not be conditioned on ideological alignment, emphasizing the importance of sovereignty and self-determination. The former leaders urge the United States to recognize that keeping Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list contradicts recent decisions by the State Department. In May of the same year, the State Department removed Cuba from the list of countries not cooperating fully against terrorism, a move the signatories commended.
How can it be asserted, at the same time, that a country cooperates in the global fight against terrorism while simultaneously accusing it of openly supporting it?
Contradictory U.S. Policy:
The letter criticizes the U.S. for simultaneously claiming that Cuba cooperates in the fight against terrorism while maintaining its status as a supporter of terrorism. It points out the lack of evidence supporting the allegations against Cuba, which has also been a victim of terrorist activities. The signatories argue that these sanctions are unjust and contribute to the destabilization of Cuba’s economy, thereby worsening the humanitarian situation.
Human Rights and International Support:
The former leaders express concern that the ongoing sanctions violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by impacting Cuba’s most vulnerable populations. The letter notes that these measures have been condemned in over thirty United Nations General Assembly resolutions, where an absolute majority voted against the blockade. The letter also highlights Cuba’s active role in peace-building efforts, such as the Peace Accord signed in Havana between the Colombian government and the FARC, and recent dialogues seeking peace between the Colombian State and the ELN.
Call for Humanitarian Action:
The appeal is framed as a compelling humanitarian plea, emphasizing the devastating impact of the U.S. sanctions on innocent people in Cuba. The former leaders argue that the sanctions have contributed to a dramatic situation in Cuba, evidenced by the unprecedented wave of Cuban migrants to the United States. They urge President Biden to send a clear message of humanism and understanding, transcending ideological differences for the sake of millions of people.
A Call for Historic Gesture:
The signatories call on President Biden to make a historic gesture by removing Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, suggesting that this would be recognized as a significant act of diplomacy and humanity by the Cuban people and the international community. The letter concludes with a respectful appeal for President Biden to consider the seriousness of the fight against terrorism and the importance of acting beyond political purposes.
Global Appeal: Former leaders from Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia unite in a joint letter urging President Biden to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, advocating for a humanitarian approach to international relations.
THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER IS AS FOLLOWS:
September 11th, 2024
Mr. JOSEPH BIDEN
President of the United States of America Mr. President,
As you are aware, for decades of unilateral sanctions and coercive measures, the Cuban economy has been one of the most heavily impacted in the world and is currently, socially, at a point of no return. During the Barack Obama administration -of which you were a part- progress was made in a historic step towards the easing of those sanctions and the normalization of diplomatic relations between two neighbors who should not deprive each other of their mutual cooperation simply because they have political systems with different ideological inspiration.
There is no record in our post-war history, since the founding of the United Nations System, of any international normativity that stipulates that relations between States must be governed or conditioned according to their level of ideological alignment, which would imply the end of sovereignty and self-determination as fundamental pillars upon which the world governance system has been established in peace since the end of World War II. Precisely based on this reasoning, Obama himself recognized the anachronism of some unilateral measures against states like Cuba.
In May of this year, the State Department decided to remove Cuba from the list of countries not cooperating fully against terrorism, a fair and correct decision that we applauded at the time. Despite this, in a contradictory manner, your country’s authorities insist on keeping Cuba included on another list -the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism-. How can it be asserted, at the same time, that a country cooperates in the global fight against terrorism while simultaneously accusing it of openly supporting it?
Without any evidence, Cuba is accused of having links to terrorist activities of which it has also been a victim and harsh sanctions are imposed based on this presumption, directly impacting its population and permanently destabilizing its economy.
Furthermore, maintaining Cuba’s inclusion on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism constitutes a coercive measure that is difficult to justify in the 21st century when equality among states must be a reality. This unjust decision also affects the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – the ethical pillar of contemporary international relations-, by impacting the most vulnerable sectors of the Cuban population, who have been severely affected recently by the devastating effects of the pandemic, exacerbated by the lack of medicines and equipment to address the emergency.
The difficult situation that the Cuban economy is going through can be explained – among other factors – by the unilateral sanctions applied by the United States, which have been condemned for their unilateralism by the United Nations system and by many people and institutions on various occasions and opportunities. In the United Nations General Assembly, the blockade against Cuba has been condemned in more than thirty resolutions by an absolute majority.
In Cuba, Mr. President, the situation is beginning to be dramatic. This reflects a critical juncture that can and should be corrected if justice is done with Cuba’s demonstrated efforts to fight against, and not with, terrorism.
The unprecedented wave of Cuban migrants to the United States is perhaps the most illustrative example of the devastating impact and suffering caused by extreme measures against the Cuban
economy, resulting from its inclusion in the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. The extraterritorial effect of financial blockade measures against Cuba also affects the interests of our countries, including the banking and business sectors.
The active participation of the Cuban government in the construction of the Peace Accord signed in Havana in 2016 between the State of Colombia and “Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia” (FARC), coupled with its recent role as a guarantor country in the dialogue seeking peace between the Colombian State and the “Ejército de Liberación Nacional” (ELN), Cuba demonstrates the humanitarian will for peace and not for war that animates Cuba and its government.
In summary, Mr. President, the reasons we present for requesting that Cuba be removed from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism are grounded in a compelling humanitarian appeal aimed at alleviating the situation of millions of innocent people and our profound conviction that the Cuban government is seriously committed against terrorism and promoting peace in the region and the world. No country should compromise, with political purposes, the seriousness of the fight against the scourge of terrorism.
Therefore, we ask you to consider sending this clear message of humanism and understanding beyond the legitimate ideological differences that cannot and should not justify acting otherwise. The people of Cuba and the countries we represent will recognize your historic gesture, Mr. President.
Respectfully,
- Dilma Rousseff, former president of Brazil.
- Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, former president of Argentina.
- Ernesto Samper Pizano, former president of Colombia.
- Evo Morales, former president of Bolivia.
- Rafael Correa, former president of Ecuador.
- Donald Ramotar, former president of Guyana.
- David Arthur Granger, former president of Guayana.
- Moses Nagamootoo, ex primer ministro de Guyana.
- Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso, former president of Peru.
- Mirtha Esther Vásquez Chuquilín, former prime minister of Peru.
- Aníbal Torres Vásquez, former prime minister of Peru.
- Salomón Lerner Ghitis, former prime minister of Peru.
- Said Musa, former prime minister of Belize.
- Dean Barrow, former prime minister of Belize.
- Salvador Sánchez Cerén, former president of El Salvador.
- Vinicio Cerezo, former president of Guatemala.
- Manuel Zelaya, former president of Honduras.
- Martin Torrijos, former president of Panama.
- Ernesto Pérez Balladares, former president of Panama.
- Baldwin Spencer, former prime minister of Antigua y Barbuda.
- Leonel Fernández, former president of the Dominican Republic.
- Hipolito Mejía, former president of the Dominican Republic.
- Charles Angelo Savarin, former president of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
- Keith Mitchell, former prime minister of Grenada.
- Percival James Patterson, former prime minister of Jamaica.
- Kenny Anthony, former prime minister of Saint Lucia.
- José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former president of the Spanish Government.
- Tomislav Nikolić, former president of Serbia.
- John Dramani Mahamat, former president of Ghana.
- Joaquim Alberto Chissano, former president of Mozambique.
- Hifikepunye Pohamba, former president of Namibia.
- Sam Nujoma, former president of Namibia.
- Danny Faure, former president of Seychelles.
- Mari Bim Amude Alkatiri, former prime minister of East Timor.
- Mahatir Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia.
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