Rubio Urges Kerry To Not Recommend Removal Of Cuban Regime From State Sponsor Of Terrorism List

Press Release

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, today urged Secretary of State John Kerry to not recommend the removal of Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List. In December, President Obama requested that the State Department conduct a review of Cuba's status on the list, "guided by the facts and the law."

In a letter to Kerry, Rubio highlighted the Castro regime's harboring of fugitives the Federal Bureau of Investigation has designated as "terrorists", as well as its support of terrorist groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA).

"I am greatly disturbed by recent media reports that you are considering recommending to the President that he de-list Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List (SSTL)," Rubio wrote. "I believe that there should be no consideration of such a step while Cuba still harbors fugitives labeled "terrorists" by the FBI, provides support and safe harbor to members of terrorist groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) and continues to flout international norms with respect to weapons smuggling and an ongoing relationship with North Korea."

"The United States cannot in good faith remove Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List while the Castro regime harbors terrorists who have killed Americans, actively supports designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations by harboring their members and continues to flout international law through clandestine weapon transfers with a rogue regime like North Korea," Rubio added.

Source