The Center for Democracy in the Americas: Bush on Cuba: Ill-Informed About The Transition, Unwise To Speculate About Violence
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 24, 2007
11:59 AM
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CONTACT: The Center for Democracy in the Americas
Sarah Stephens 202-234-5506
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Bush on Cuba: Ill-Informed About The Transition, Unwise To Speculate About Violence
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WASHINGTON - October 24 - The Center for Democracy in the Americas released the following statement by Sarah Stephens about the speech by President Bush on Cuba:
“The president’s speech was ill-informed and unwise – the transition on Cuba has already taken place and his speculation that force might be used by Cubans against Cubans is unwise and irresponsible. This vision of upheaval on Cuba runs counter to what Cubans want and avoiding violence should be the policy of the United States.
“There is a debate already starting in Cuba about its future, and the government is already exploring reforms. While we don’t know how extensive these reforms might be, we do know that the President’s policy keeps the United States on the sidelines as this debate takes place on the island. Our allies in Europe and the Hemisphere have a very different policy, because they know better.
“The president should have taken a course consistent with our values. He should open the floodgates of travel and trade so that Americans have the freedom and opportunity to see Cuba for themselves and to meet Cubans face-to-face. He should have eliminated his punitive restrictions that stop Cuban-Americans from visiting and supporting their families on the island. He should have sent a long overdue signal to the people of the Americas that the United States wants to engage on the issues that really matter to our region of the world. These policies of engagement are in our national interest and in the interests of all of the people of the region, including the people of Cuba.”
Sarah Stephens is the director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas. The Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA) is devoted to changing U.S. policy toward the countries of the Americas by basing our relations on mutual respect, recognizing positive models of governance in the region, and fostering dialogue particularly with those governments and movements with which U.S. policy is at odds. CDA has led more than two dozen delegations to Cuba largely consisting of Members of Congress and their staffs.
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