Following their meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Cuban President Raul Castro asked that President Obama use his executive power to dismantle the trade embargo that has stifled the flow of goods to and from the island nation for the past half-century. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez related his leader’s message and noted how President Obama’s actions haven’t yet had the economic impact Cuba so desires.
“The pace of the process toward normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States will depend on the lifting of the blockade,” Rodríguez said, adding that the President’s executive decisions up to now “have a very limited value, a very limited scope.”
In Castro’s speech before the UN General Assembly on Monday, he demanded an end to the trade embargo, the return of land used for the Guantanamo Bay military base, elimination pro-democracy radio and television broadcasts, and reparations for decades of economic damages. Perhaps sensing a greater opening of the international climate, Castro highlighted cooperation as key to the success of his distressed country.
“Cuba will find its success if it pursues cooperation with other nations,” Castro said, adding “when our people are compensated for the human and economic damages they still endure.”
[Fox Latino]; [NBC]
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