Biden's Actions Spark Outrage, But Not Surprise

President Joe Biden did not squander his last chance to bolster Cuba’s totalitarian mafia state. Flouting the opinions of members of both U.S. parties and the communities of Cuban and Venezuelan exiles, he once again pressured the leaders of various security agencies to implement his decision.

It is always "possible to do more," as Fidel Castro liked to say. Indeed, it is always possible to stoop lower: the US president struck Cuba from the list of State Supporters of Terrorism, and adopted other last-minute, highly sensitive measures, in collusion with the regime in Havana, and carried out in the dark a premeditated and malicious manner.

After this outrageous decision - not only undermining the interests of Cubans, but of Americans themselves - it is hard to imagine what else the magician in the White House might pull out of his time-worn hat before he stepping off the stage for good.
Why is this decision indescribably vile?

1. Because it is false that the Cuban regime has stopped supporting and collaborating with the terrorists of other states and non-state actors, starting with Venezuela, Iran, Russia, Hamas, Hezbollah, FARC, ELN and others.
2. Because the Cuban regime attacked and disabled two dozen diplomats in Havana, has not assumed its responsibility for these events, and continues to harbor terrorists, fugitives from U.S. justice in its territory.
3. Because it validates the policy of keeping political prisoners as hostages to be exchanged, without reforming the laws under which they were imprisoned, such that they themselves, or others, could be arrested again, when they should never have been tried and sent to serve sentences in prisons on the island in the first place. The number of political prisoners in Cuba transcends the official figures referring to the 11-J protests, as among them are Cubans who for decades have been languishing in dungeons for alleged crimes that could be reviewed by international institutions. In contrast, Havana receives, through this agreement, lasting perks that will allow its powerful elite to step up its regime of terror at a time of extreme weakness and international isolation.  
4. Because those concessions made to Havana are a vital tonic for the regime at a time of exceptional weakness. The list is long: taking them off the list of State Supporters of Terrorism, removing all the financial controls and filters that this entails for US security; suspending Chapter III of the Helms-Burton Act, which enables Cuba’s higher-ups to continue to exploit confiscated properties, without rendering compensation; and removing restrictions on companies connected to GAESA oligarchs and others.
5. Because it once again empowers a  group of illegitimate representatives to be mediators for political prisoners, and to reach agreements and concessions without the knowledge of those affected. Apparently, this time the mediation is via the Vatican, as the Cuban Catholic Church has stated that it was unaware of these agreements, when they were made public. In these days in which homage is being paid to President Jimmy Carter, it behooves us to remember that he demanded, in Cuba and Panama, that the dictators speak directly with the representatives of various opposition organizations, and that President Ronald Reagan always reminded the Sandinistas, at the Manzanillo meetings, that Washington would talk with them, but it would never negotiate anything, since that would have to be done between the Sandinistas and the representatives of the civilian and armed organizations that opposed them.
6. Because it manipulates the needs and feelings of the country’s prisoners and their families and those of Cuba’s activists and dissidents, who are obliged to condemn this maneuver, and who have always defended their rights, at the risk of their own freedom.
7. Because it sends a signal of impunity to the mafia in Havana, Caracas and Managua, convincing them that  any difficulty with the US is always temporary, and it suffices to wait for new elections to return to a comfortable status quo.
8. Because it sends a discouraging signal to the European Union, conveying that it should not follow the fickle and ever-changing footsteps of US policy on these issues, but rather limit itself to looking after the interests of its own companies in those countries. 

This "anomalous incident" in Washington (as the Biden White House likes to call the Havana Syndrome) goes far beyond the case of Cuba, however. It may have far-reaching repercussions in U.S. politics. It is likely to embolden those who believe that the uninterrupted and multiple efforts of officials at various strategic agencies to promote erratic decisions strengthening America's enemies (not only Cuba, but Iran, Venezuela and others), should be investigated by a special committee or a grand jury. At this point it is hard to believe that these are just coincidences resulting from the ideological myopia of useful fools. 

The immediate reversal of these measures should be a high-priority task of the new Administration in Washington, because these are matters that affect the security of the United States and the region as a whole. Cuba’s political prisoners, and all of Cuba, will be liberated, unconditionally and honorably, not by a concession keeping the country’s mafia in power.