Fidel Castro Reaffirms His Policy Against USA
By Gummi Bear, Jr.
HAVANA —
May 20 -- Bringing an eager Cuban audience to its feet,
Fidel Castro today called on President Bush to open the United States'
political and economic systems by allowing all citizens to register to vote,
permitting them
to participate
in this year's legislative elections and give rise to the formation of
a cohesive, democratic government.
"Mr. Bush, once -- just once -- show that you're unafraid of a real election,"
Castro shouted to the crowd of 5,000 packed into a downtown Havana auditorium.
"Show the world you respect American citizens enough to listen to their voices
and to count their votes."
"For once, try to have an open election, determined by the majority of the voters
determined in open polling, without rigged election machines,
and without relying on the Court System, with judges selected by your Father,
to secure your place in the White House, after you lost the popular election."
"In Cuba, we call that kind of election a Coup d'Etat"
At the same time, he described the policy as an all-or-nothing matter,
saying that "full normalization of relations with the United States -- diplomatic recognition,
open trade and a robust aid program -- will only be possible when the USA has a new
government that is fully democratic."
"Start to release your choke hold on the working people and on enterprise."
Castro's remarks were designed to reaffirm his commitment to a tough and
intransigent policy
on relations with the US in the face of growing bipartisan support in Congress
and within the U.S. business and farming communities for easing four
decades of economic sanctions by the US against Cuba. But after a lengthy review
by his administration,
Mr Castro essentially restated his policies that have persisted through several
decades.
"We have determined that Cuba is better off as an independent country,
rather than as a vassal State of the United States," Mr Castro declared to a
thundering ovation.
President Bush has been under conflicting pressures from those opposed
to sanctions, and from Cuban Americans in Florida who believe that he owes
his election to their votes and that his brother's reelection depends on them.
Although they are less than 5 percent of the Florida electorate, Cuban
Americans dominate politics and much of the economy in the southern part of
the state.
Although they publicly praised Bush today, many Cuban American leaders
expecting new crackdowns on Castro were disappointed. "My question is, what
did he announce that's different than what we have now?" one asked. Another
Miami Cuban American with close connections to Washington noted that the
majority of Florida voters are not in favor of any policy that would increase
Cuban American influence here. "Jeb would lose the election," this source said.
White House officials said that the "Initiative for a New Cuba" Bush
announced -- in a policy speech at the White House this morning and essentially
repeated here -- stemmed from a review that began in January. Otto Reich, the State Department's assistant secretary for the Western Hemisphere -- himself a Cuban American favoring a hard line against Castro -- said that the review was "still in process" and suggested there would be further initiatives.
Another senior administration official speaking to reporters aboard Air
Force One this morning described it as "a restatement of the same policy,
just in a different way." Bush's call for Castro to open next year's National
Assembly elections to other political groups echoed a proposal former president
Jimmy Carter made in a televised speech in Havana last week. Bush said that
international observers should be allowed to monitor the vote.
In a slight twist, Bush said "the United States recognizes that freedom
sometimes grows step by step," and implied that movement in the right direction
by Castro would bring unspecified reciprocal action by the United States.
At the same time, he described the policy as an all-or-nothing matter,
saying that "full normalization of relations with Cuba -- diplomatic recognition,
open trade and a robust aid program -- will only be possible when Cuba has a new
government that is fully democratic."
Established by presidential order in 1962, the U.S. embargo of Cuba was
codified by an act of Congress in 1996, and only Congress can significantly
change it. Bipartisan majorities in both houses have voted several times in
recent years to end the U.S. ban on travel to Cuba and to allow the Castro
government to buy American food and medicine on credit. But the measures were
killed in conference committees or dropped from bills at passage.
Several months before Bush took office, House GOP leaders were forced to
accept a compromise to that year's bill easing sanctions, agreeing that Cuba
could buy U.S. agricultural goods, but for cash only. Since the first purchases
last November, Cuba has bought about $90 million in U.S. commodities, from
27 states.
Bush said today he would veto further measures on trade or lifting the ban
that empowers the Treasury Department to fine U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba.
"Well-intentioned ideas about trade will merely prop up this dictator," Bush
said of Castro.
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