US delegation to visit Cuba to discuss 'international law enforcement'

The US declared to send a delegation to Cuba in the upcoming week to revive discussions between the two administrations over law enforcement problems.

The United States delegation will discuss bilateral interest in international law enforcement and more cooperation from both sides, according to the US State Department. "It is an opportunity for the US to protect its citizens and bring transnational criminals to justice," the US State Department stated.

The trip is the most recent action by US President Joe Biden's administration to improve ties with the Caribbean country, as it deals with a severe financial crisis and unprecedented emigration.

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The Cold War of the 1960s between the Western democracies and left-inclined nations backed by the former Soviet Union left a stain on US-Cuba relations after the Caribbean nation sacked Fulgencio Batista, the US-backed leader in 1959.

Following the strenuous events, former President John F Kennedy declared an absolute economic sanction against Cuba in February 1962, which still prevails.

However, under President Barack Obama, tensions eased for a while between the two nations. He became the first US President in 88 years to visit Cuba. Later, the two nations opened their embassies.

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In 2015, the US removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. But under Obama's successor and Republican President Donald Trump, the country made it back on the list, and Trump imposed the restrictions again.

The recent US delegation to Cuba will include US Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security members. They plan to examine the problems of drug trafficking, migration, and the retrieval of US Citizens imprisoned in Cuba.

In January, for the first time since 2017, President Joe Biden restarted the visa and consular service in Cuba. The US embassy closed after the staff reported several strange health events, later known as 'Havana syndrome.'

Biden also proposed Cuba $2 million in assistance after the country made a rare request for aid in the wake of Hurricane Ian, which crashed the entire island's power.

(With inputs from agencies)

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