On December 9^th, Cuba prevented a potential terrorist threat originating out of South Florida. Reuters reports that a man arrived by jet ski, carrying several weapons and ammunition, with the intention to commit acts of violence. The man entered Cuba illegally and committed a series of crimes prior to his arrest including vandalism and arson. Cuba is currently investigating the origin of the terrorist threat and has identified two affiliated terrorist groups, both based in Florida, as potential perpetrators.

The incident occurred directly after Cuba released a report of 80 foreign groups it accused of terrorism. Along with other influential figures, including a mayoral candidate for Miami-Dade County in Florida, the list included both of the groups suspected behind the attempted attack. Cuba has defined the groups, Nueva Nación Cubana and La Nueva Nación Cubana en Armas, as “criminal organizations based in the United States that organize, finance, and execute actions against the security of the Cuban state.”

Tensions have existed between Cuba and the U.S. since the early Cold War in the 1960s, and there are currently no diplomatic relations between the two countries due to Cuba’s status as a communist state. Further tension was generated when the consolidation of power under the Castro regime precipitated a mass emmigration of Cubans seeking citizenship in the U.S. The lack of distance between Cuba and Florida made the latter an attractive location for those fleeing Castro – Florida’s peninsula culminates only 100 miles from the Cuban coast. With many of the immigrants harboring resentments for their former country re-settling in similar locations, with proximity to act on their displeasure, the unresolved hostility gave rise to groups like Nueva Nación Cubana and La Nueva Nación Cubana en Armas.

Due to this contentiousness, the U.S. and Cuba have each accused the other of supporting various terrorist initiatives for decades, but many of the current accusations are outdated and do not accurately reflect the threats present to either country. The Council on Foreign Relations notes that the last major terrorist threat between Cuba and the U.S. occurred in 1998 when five Cuban counter-intelligence officers were charged with attempting to infiltrate Cuban-American exile groups.

Both the American and Cuban responses to the December 9^th attack must be mitigated to ensure that old tensions do not incite new offensives between the two countries. Cuba must conduct a thorough investigation into the terrorist attempt before hastily assigning blame to any particular organization or country affiliation. And, once the source of this attack is discovered, the U.S. government must take action to prevent further attempts.

Both governments must also revise their respective terrorist identification lists to be more current. According to Reuters, Cuba’s accusations against U.S. figures date back 30 years at the latest and pertain to their deceased dictator, Fidel Castro. The U.S. also must edit its list of states that sponsor terrorists, as Cuba has not held a significant threat to security in the U.S. for decades.

Relations between the U.S. and Cuba have been too tense for too long. Both sides must make a concerted effort to establish relations that bolster the security of both countries, and peacekeeping initiatives should be undertaken to stymie the further progression of these threats before they can become co-ordinated attacks. While the December 9^th attack was attempted on an individual basis, it is clear that there are groups seeking to threaten Cuba’s stability, and it is the responsibility of Floridian authorities and the U.S. government to negate further action. Further, Cuba must not escalate the issue by making uncorroborated allegations against groups they perceive as terrorists without sufficient evidence to substantiate these claims. Overall, a general de-escalation process must occur by all involved actors to ensure the security of both countries.