The Government of Colombia, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Gilberto Murillo, formally advocated the exclusion of Cuba from the list of State sponsors of terrorism during the plenary session of the 54th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Paraguay.
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Murillo highlighted Cuba’s commitment to supporting the peace processes in Colombia, underlining that said country has played a crucial role in the peace agreements with the extinct FARC and in the current negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN): “Cuba “It has been an ally in the search for peace,” said the Colombian minister. In addition, he recalled that “the call of President Gustavo Petro and Vice President Francia Márquez is always to promote peace, protect life and strengthen democracy in all its forms.”
During his speech, the Colombian Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of eliminating unilateral and extraterritorial sanctions that affect the Cuban people. He asked the OAS to review these measures, which he considers incompatible with democratic values and the current regional panorama. “It is essential to work together to overcome inequalities,” Murillo emphasized.
In his speech, the official stressed the need to strengthen cooperation and unity in the Americas, and proclaimed that “regional integration is vital for development and peace in the hemisphere,” highlighting that Colombia promotes initiatives related to peace and environmental protection, such as “peace with nature,” as well as clean energy and digital transformation.
The Colombian minister also proposed to the inter-American forum the creation of a special chamber in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to judge those who perpetrate attacks against democracy and the popular vote. “It is necessary to establish mechanisms to prosecute those who attack democracy; they must not go unpunished,” said Murillo. The creation of this mechanism, according to him, is essential to achieve lasting peace and strengthen democratic institutions in the region.
Colombia reiterated its commitment to the country’s ethnic and multicultural diversity and the need for measures to promote profound social transformations in the most disadvantaged regions. Murillo urged OAS members to work together to find innovative and multidimensional solutions to current challenges, prioritizing human security, the protection of life and democracy.
The minister mentioned that Colombia will host important international events in the coming months, including the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Biodiversity (COP16) in 2024, which will be held in Cali. In addition, he extended an invitation to the First World Ministerial Conference to end violence against children.
Murillo expressed her support for democratically elected governments in the region, citing Bolivia as an example, and reiterated the rejection of the Government of Gustavo Petro to any coup attempt. “Colombia firmly supports democratically elected governments and categorically rejects any attempt to subvert the democratic order,” she emphasized.
Finally, he reaffirmed Colombia’s willingness to collaborate in strengthening regional interests and sharing its experience on issues of peace, democracy and migration, always with a focus on human rights.
In 1982, the US State Department included Cuba on its list of countries sponsoring terrorism.The justification was based on Cuba’s long history of providing advice, shelter, communications, training and financial support to guerrilla groups and individual terrorists.
However, in 2015, then-President Barack Obama considered that this designation had no merit in the case of the island and withdrew it. Four years later, Donald Trump reinstated it a few days before leaving the White House, something that his Democratic successor, Joe Biden, maintains, despite calls for him to rectify this position in his policy towards the Caribbean nation.
The international community and the Cuban Government consider the current provision insufficient, which is not equivalent to the elimination of the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. Permanence on this list implies greater limitations for Cuba’s economic and commercial exchange. Furthermore, the UN has appreciated Cuba’s efforts in mediation processes and has described its permanence on the list of supposedly sponsoring nations of terrorism as contradictory.
