Monday, April 13, 2009

Summit previews

  • From the Wall Street Journal: The Administration “won’t duck” the Cuba issue, an official said, and may have three items to show a change in direction: liberalized Cuban American travel and remittaces, a return to licensing cultural and educational programs, and resumption of migration talks with Cuba. At the same time, the Administration “wants Cuba to take steps toward democracy before it is reintegrated into the Western hemisphere's economic and political institutions,” the Journal says.

  • From a roundup at Encuentro: Brazil’s President Lula will discuss Cuba at the summit, but gently, and Brazil expects Cuba to be a topic of strong discussion at the OAS General Assembly in June.

  • The OAS Secretary General says no one should push President Obama on Cuba policy, and the place for a Cuba discussion will be the OAS meeting in June.
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6 comments:

  1. ErnestoApril 13, 2009 at 11:27 AM

    You must update

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 12:49 PM

    obama just announced ending of restrictions for cuban-americans travelling to cuba; no details yet. it was his campaign promise and good to see him follow through. timing good too as summit starts thursday

    now,no reason whatsoever to continue travel restrictions for all americans.

    anonimo

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 1:43 PM

    What about the Americans --not the Cuban Americans but the Americans who wan to travel to Cuba for turism? Are they included in the new lift?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 2:18 PM

    Anonimo 1:43:

    No, they are not included in the new measure.

    I'd like to chime in on this as a Cuban exile who still happens to maintain his Cuban citizenship - proudly I might add.

    I don't want to see a single dime go into Fidel and Raul's pockets. This is money used for the continuing repression of the population and it pains me no end to see tourists reveling in island play amid our national nightmare.

    That said, no nation has the right to dictate where it's citizens may or may not travel. The U.S. ban on travel is akin to the Cuban dictatorship's ban on Cuban citizens from freely traveling outside of the island.

    Citizens of the United States and other nations must make a choice regarding tourism travel to Cuba- that choice being whether to take a moral stance by not traveling to the island or an unconcerned stance as typical tourist. That choice can only be made by the individual, not by any government.

    I don't believe opening up general travel will do anything to end the regime but I'd love to be able to say it would. I hope fate proves me wrong and that the potential influx of North Americans in an "opened up" Cuba can lead to truly positive change.

    We shall see.

    Regards . . .

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 6:46 PM

    whether opening up makes any changes in cuba is not the point. after 50 years of failure it is time to end the siege, the embargo, the terrorism the travel restrictions. if you really are an exile you know that the embargo doesn't take money out of fidel's pocket, it just hurts the cuban people. i'm sorry you perceive it as a national nightmare, millions of cubans dont. they live in cuba. their voice is more important.
    be ready for some other big changes.
    anonimo

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 7:42 PM

    oh yeah, that wasn't me 143
    anonimo

    ReplyDelete