(January 27, 2008 - Photo by Sven Creutzmann/Mambo photo/Getty Images South America)
President Obama recently met with Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Mortatinos, and reportedly asked Mortatinos to deliver a message to Cuban leader Raul Castro. A White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told Reuters that the President urged Mortatinos to push Castro to begin the process of improving human rights in his nation.
The President hinted during the campaign that he would talk to Cuba at some point during his presidency, so this should be a surprise to no one. He cannot just boldly hop on Air Force One and fly down there. He must begin the process in “secretive” and covert ways such as this. Decades of rocky to no relations and a 47 year embargo cannot be undone over night, but knowing this president, I am sure he’d try.
“Have (Moratinos) tell the Cuban authorities we understand that change can’t happen overnight, but down the road, when we look back at this time, it should be clear that now is when those changes began,” Obama told Zapatero, according to sources.
Obama asked Moratinos to deliver the message during their meeting on Oct. 13.
“When (Obama) learned that Foreign Minister Moratinos was about to go to Havana, he suggested that Moratinos urge the Castro regime to take steps to reform and improve human rights,” a U.S. official said on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Obama reportedly said the U.S. is taking steps to improve relations between the two countries, but, “if they don’t take steps too, it’s going to be very hard for us to continue,” Reuters reported.
Read the Full Reuters story here
Is this really acceptable? Do we want our President dealing with Castro? Even if it is this Castro? I thought we needed Congress to approve that stuff?
No it is not acceptable. It is a direct violation of an act of Congress. The Executive Branch cannot unilaterally break an embargo, but he can determine who he talks to, unless the Congress has directly prohibited him from doing it.
I applaud the President for trying to open up a dialogue with CUba. They are one of our closest geographic partners. We have continued this embargo for far too long over ill will and ignorant policy.
I don’t know how you see them as a partner or why you care about their proximity, but I guess we can just ignore the fact that there are thousands of Americans who fled here when the first Castro took office leaving behind everything they owned only to get away from the government you’d like to make our partner. Make sure to ignore the fact that thousands more attempt to defect here each year at the first opportunity available to them.
I think gushy43 should move to Cuba…….. I will pay for the one way ticket!!