Overview

In July 1985, President Ronald Reagan outlined Cuba's support for terrorism since the 1960s through its actions in openly arming, training, and directing terrorists operating on at least three continents, in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Cuba's actions landed it on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list in 1982, and it has remained there ever since. President Obama's announcement in December 2014 that the U.S. would reconsider the terrorism designation as a part of its pursuit of normalized relations with Cuba is deeply concerning given Cuba's record on multiple levels. Cuba's record of supporting terrorism and violence in the Western Hemisphere threatens the U.S. national security interest in the region. According to the State Department's country reports on terrorism in 2013, which was issued in April 2014, Cuba has long provided safe haven to members of the Basque Fatherland and Liberty, or ETA, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, both considered foreign terrorist organizations by the United States. Cuba also continues to harbor fugitives wanted in the United States through providing support, such as housing, food ration, books, and medical care.