The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged Joe Biden’s administration to remove Cuba from the arbitrary list of countries sponsoring terrorism and begin the path of mutual understanding.

In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the president of the Justice and Peace Committee, Bishop Elias Zaidan, reiterated the historic position of the Conference which, together with the Holy See and the international community, has also called for the lifting of the blockade that has weighed for more than 60 years on the Caribbean nation.

He recalled that when in 2021 Donald Trump’s administration designated Cuba as a sponsor of terrorism, they expressed their profound disagreement and stressed the «long-standing position in favour of strong bilateral cooperation for the good of the American and Cuban people».

«For decades, in conjunction with the Holy See and most of the international community, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged collaboration and mutual benefit!» the text stressed.

«I urge you, Mr Secretary, to withdraw the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and maximise our country’s commitment to the good of the Cuban people,» Bishop Zaidan concluded.

This pronouncement joins the broad appeal of religious leaders, churches and faith-based organisations who see Cuba’s inclusion on the list of terrorist countries as a coercive measure contrary to the ethics of their religious confessions.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, founded in 1966, is a permanent body that brings together Catholic bishops here.

Days before the end of his term in January 2021, Trump reinstated Cuba on the unilateral list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, from which the Caribbean country was removed in 2015, during the administration of Democrat Barack Obama.

Despite calls from both inside and outside the US territory to exclude Cuba from the list, Biden has still not listened to the demand.

Paradoxically, Cuba has been the victim over the years of US-organised and financed terrorism against its people.