BELIZE CITY, Fri. Feb. 12, 2021– On Friday, February 12, 2021, former Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Said Musa, wrote a letter to the newly elected president of the United States of America, President Joe Biden, regarding the recent redesignation of Cuba as a state sponsor for terrorism during former US president Donald Trump’s term of office.

On April 14, 2015, the Obama administration, which preceded the presidency of Donald Trump, had announced that it would remove Cuba from the United States State Sponsors of Terrorism list, and the country was officially removed from the list on May 29, 2015.

In his letter, the former Prime Minister of Belize stated, in reference to the Trump’s administration’s move to once again put Cuba on the list, “This action comes on top of the six-decade-long blockade against the people and Government of Cuba which continues to cause immeasurable damage. I note that your White House press secretary recently said, ‘we’ll review the Cuba Trump administration policies’.”

He also applauded the statement issued by CARICOM on January 13, which called the decision by the Trump administration unilateral and misguided. The release also called the move unproductive, unnecessary, and an illegal financial and economic embargo.

In his statement, Hon. Musa said, “Cuba is a nation of peace, Cuba promotes cooperation, not violence. Cuba has been a victim of terrorism. Cuban professionals have been with many nations fighting pandemics and disasters like Ebola, AIDS, and COVID-19.”

He added, “Removing the recent designation and lifting the embargo will be acts of justice benefiting Cuba, the USA, and the region.”

In closing his letter, the former Prime Minister of Belize invited Belizeans and citizens of the Caribbean and Central American nations to join in supporting the statement issued to the new US administration in solidarity with the people and government of Cuba.