Cuba, USA Sign Agreement on Terrorism
HAVANA TIMES – The governments of Cuba and the United States signed an agreement Monday to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, human trafficking and cybercrime, dpa news reported.
The document sets out the objectives of the cooperation and defines the crimes in which they will work jointly, including the production, distribution and trafficking of narcotics, falsification of documents and pornography.
The text was signed by the Cuban Interior Minister Julio César Gandarilla and US ambassador to Havana, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, in the presence of Ben Rhodes, deputy National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama.
Thanks to the agreement, officials from both countries will be able to share information and experiences, coordinate operations and appoint liaison officers to achieve a more fluid communication between the two parties.
Agreed upon points may be expanded in the future. “The participants can jointly decide to set up new technical working groups,” the document said.
The text signed today in Havana will be in force for two years, and follow-up talks on the agreement will take place every six months.
The accord comes a few days before Obama hands over control to Republican Donald Trump, who has yet to clearly define what his policy toward the island will be.
Last week, the US government put an end to the “dry feet, wet feet” policy that allowed the illegal entry into the United States of Cuban migrants.
He also ended the visa program for Cuban doctors aimed at those willing to abandon their Cuban government health missions in third countries.
The Castros had their chances to cooperate with the carrots offered by President Obama. Now, I believe, they will have to deal with the sticks likely to be offered by Trump administration.
Thank you for the clarification. On the related issue of Cuban support for terrorism, in my opinion they still do and did not deserve to be removed from that list.
It will be interesting to see how things inside Cuba change over the next few years.
On this issue you are missing the point. This agreement gives US law enforcement the authority to conduct drug interdiction operations in Cuban waters without prior notice to their Cuban counterparts. This includes electronic surveillance including underwater drones. Are you surprised that the Castros would allow such a thing? Well, so are the hardliners in the Castro regime. But the overall cause is so noble that it was impossible to say no to. Of course it’s reciprocal but US counter-surveillance technology is sophisticated enough to pick up Cuban listening devices. This time Obama may have outsmarted the Castros.
It is astonishing that the US government would sign a deal with the Castro regime on policing drug trafficking & terrorism. The willful blindness of Obama is astounding.
The Castro regime controls the state security apparatus of Venezuela, through their puppet President Maduro. Several people close to president Maduro have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. Maduro’s nephews were convicted of trying to smuggle 800 kilos of cocaine into the US, having used the presidential hanger at a Venezuelan airport to transport the drug.
Last week it was announced that the new Vice President of Venezuela, Tareck El Aissami, long alleged to be involved in drug trafficking as well as connections to the Lebanese terrorist group, Hezbollah.
Does Obama not understand the relationship between Cuba and Venezuela? Does Raul Castro not know about the narco-terrorist nature of the Maduro government?
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RS21049.pdf