Remarks by
the President on Cuba Policy
Press Release
Source: White House Press Office. Wednesday
October 24, 2007.
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- U.S. Department
of State
1:20 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Gracias.
Buenos Dias. I am pleased to be back at
the State Department. I appreciate the work
that's done here. Every day the men and
women of this department serve as America's
emissaries to the world. Every day you help
our country respond to aggressors and bring
peace to troubled lands. Every day you advance
our country's mission in support of basic
human rights to the millions who are denied
them. Secretary Rice constantly tells me
about the good work being done here at the
State Department, and on behalf of a grateful
nation, I thank you for your hard work and
I'm pleased to be with you.
Few issues have challenged this department
-- and our nation -- longer than the situation
in Cuba. Nearly half a century has passed
since Cuba's regime ordered American diplomats
to evacuate our embassy in Havana. This
was the decisive break of our diplomatic
relations with the island, a troubling signal
for the future of the Cuban people, and
the dawn of an unhappy era between our two
countries. In this building, President John
F. Kennedy spoke about the U.S. economic
embargo against Cuba's dictatorship. And
it was here where he announced the end of
the missile crisis that almost plunged the
world into nuclear war.
Today, another President comes with hope
to discuss a new era for the United States
and Cuba. The day is coming when the Cuban
people will chart their own course for a
better life. The day is coming when the
Cuban people have the freedom they have
awaited for so long. (Applause.)
Madam Secretary, thank you for your introduction.
I'm pleased to be with you and Ambassador
Negroponte and all who work here. Thanks
for the hospitality. I'm pleased to be here
with our Secretary of Commerce, Secretary
Carlos Gutierrez -- born in Cuba. I appreciate
other members of my administration who are
here.
I particularly want to thank the members
of Congress who have joined us: Senator
Mel Martinez, born in Cuba; Congresswoman
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, born in Cuba; Lincoln
Diaz-Balart, born in Cuba; su hermanito
--(laughter) -- Mario Diaz-Balart. I want
to thank Chris Smith for joining us, Congressman
from Jersey; Thaddeus McCotter, Michigan;
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, from Florida;
as well as Tim Mahone from Florida. Appreciate
you being here.
I thank the members of the Diplomatic Corps
who have joined us. I appreciate the Ambassadors
to the Organization of American States who
are with us. I particularly want to thank
the Cuban families who have joined me on
the stage.
One of the great success stories of the
past century is the advance of economic
and political freedom across Latin America.
In this room are officials representing
nations that are embracing the blessings
of democratic government and free enterprise.
And the United States is proud and active
to work with you in your transformations.
One country in our region still isolates
its people from the hope that freedom brings,
and traps them in a system that has failed
them. Forty-eight years ago, in the early
moments of Cuba's revolution, its leaders
offered a prediction. He said -- and I quote
-- "The worst enemies which the Cuban
revolution can face are the revolutionaries
themselves." One of history's great
tragedies is that he made that dark prophecy
come true.
Cuba's rulers promised individual liberty.
Instead they denied their citizens basic
rights that the free world takes for granted.
In Cuba it is illegal to change jobs, to
change houses, to travel abroad, and to
read books or magazines without the express
approval of the state. It is against the
law for more than three Cubans to meet without
permission. Neighborhood Watch programs
do not look out for criminals. Instead,
they monitor their fellow citizens -- keeping
track of neighbors' comings and goings,
who visits them, and what radio stations
they listen to. The sense of community and
the simple trust between human beings is
gone.
Cuba's rulers promised an era of economic
advancement. Instead they brought generations
of economic misery. Many of the cars on
the street pre-date the revolution -- and
some Cubans rely on horse carts for transportation.
Housing for many ordinary Cubans is in very
poor condition, while the ruling class lives
in mansions. Clinics for ordinary Cubans
suffer from chronic shortages in medicine
and equipment. Many Cubans are forced to
turn to the black market to feed their families.
There are long lines for basic necessities
-- reminiscent of the Soviet bread lines
of the last century. Meanwhile, the regime
offers fully stocked food stores to foreign
tourists, diplomats and businessmen in communism's
version of apartheid.
Cuba's rulers promised freedom of the press.
Instead they closed down private newspapers
and radio and television stations. They've
jailed and beaten journalists, raided their
homes, and seized their paper, ink and fax
machines. One Cuban journalist asked foreigners
who visited him for one thing: a pen. Another
uses shoe polish as ink as a typewriter
ribbon.
Cuba's rulers promised, "absolute
respect for human rights." Instead
they offered Cubans rat-infested prisons
and a police state. Hundreds are serving
long prison sentences for political offenses
such as the crime of "dangerousness"
-- as defined by the regime. Others have
been jailed for the crime of "peaceful
sedition" -- which means whatever Cuban
authorities decide it means.
Joining us here are family members of political
prisoners in Cuba. I've asked them to come
because I want our fellow citizens to see
the faces of those who suffer as a result
of the human rights abuses on the island
some 90 miles from our shore. One of them
is Olga Alonso. Her brother, Ricardo Gonzalez
Alonso [sic], has been harassed by Cuban
authorities since he was 11 years old, because
he wrote things that the Cuban authorities
did not like. In 2003, Ricardo was arrested
for his writings and sentenced to 20 years
in prison. The authorities seized illegal
contraband they found in his home. These
included such things as a laptop computer,
notebooks and a printer. Olga, we're glad
you're here. Thank you for coming. (Applause.)
Marlenis Gonzalez and her daughter, Melissa,
are here. They recently arrived from Cuba,
but without Melissa's father. Jorge Luis
Gonzalez Tanquero dared to defend the human
rights of his countrymen. For that, he was
arrested for crimes against the state. Now
he languishes in poor health inside a Cuban
prison. Bienvenidos. (Applause.)
Damaris Garcia y su tia, Mirta Pernet,
are with us today. Damaris calls the Cuban
government "a killing machine"
-- those are her words. They've seen relatives
imprisoned for supporting liberty. One beloved
family member, Omar Pernet Hernandez, was
a poor man who sold candy on the streets
of Havana. For advocating freedom, he is
serving a sentence of 25 years. He's 62
years old, he's emaciated. Yet he remains
a determined advocate for human rights for
the Cuban people. Bienvenidos. (Applause.)
Also with us is Yamile Llanes Labrada.
Yamile's husband, Jorge [sic] Luis Garcia
Paneque, was a surgeon and journalist. He
was sentenced to 24 years in prison for
daring speak the truth about the regime.
Yamile herself was accused of espionage
and she feared for the safety of her four
children. After José's arrest, a
mob organized by state authorities surrounded
their house. The mob carried sticks and
threatened to set fire to the house with
the family inside. Earlier this year, Yamile
and her children made it off the island.
They do not know when they'll see their
father again. Bienvenidos, Yamile. (Applause.)
I want to thank each of you [for] coming
today. I thank you for allowing me to share
your stories, and I thank you for your courage.
I ask that God watch over you and your loved
ones. Que Dios les bendiga a ustedes y a
sus familias. And I join your prayers for
a day when the light of liberty will shine
on Cuba.
These are just a few of the examples of
the terror and trauma that is Cuba today.
The socialist paradise is a tropical gulag.
The quest for justice that once inspired
the Cuban people has now become a grab for
power. And as with all totalitarian systems,
Cuba's regime no doubt has other horrors
still unknown to the rest of the world.
Once revealed, they will shock the conscience
of humanity. And they will shame the regime's
defenders and all those democracies that
have been silent. (Applause.) One former
Cuban political prisoner, Armando Valladares,
puts it this way: It will be a time when
"mankind will feel the revulsion it
felt when the crimes of Stalin were brought
to light." And that time is coming.
As we speak, calls for fundamental change
are growing across the island. Peaceful
demonstrations are spreading. Earlier this
year leading Cuban dissidents came together
for the first time to issue the Unity of
Freedom -- a declaration for democratic
change. They hear the dying gasps of a failed
regime. They know that even history's cruelest
nightmares cannot last forever. A restive
people who long to rejoin the world at last
have hope. And they will bring to Cuba a
real revolution -- a revolution of freedom,
democracy and justice. (Applause.)
Now is the time to support the democratic
movements growing on the island. Now is
the time to stand with the Cuban people
as they stand up for their liberty. And
now is the time for the world to put aside
its differences and prepare for Cuban's
transition to a future of freedom and progress
and promise. The dissidents of today will
be the nation's leaders tomorrow -- and
when freedom finally comes, they will surely
remember who stood with them. (Applause.)
The Czech Republic and Hungary and Poland
have been vital sources of support and encouragement
to Cuba's brave democratic opposition. I
ask other countries to follow suit. All
nations can make tangible efforts to show
public support for those who love freedom
on the island. They can open up their embassies
in Havana to pro-democracy leaders and invite
them to different events. They can use their
lobbies of the embassies to give Cubans
access to the Internet and to books and
to magazines. They can encourage their country's
non-governmental organizations to reach
out directly to Cuba's independent civil
society.
Here at home we can do more, as well. The
United States Congress has recently voted
for additional funding to support Cuban
democracy efforts. I thank you all for your
good work on this measure -- and I urge
you to get the bill to my desk as soon as
we possibly can. (Applause.) I also urge
our Congress to show our support and solidarity
for fundamental change in Cuba by maintaining
our embargo on the dictatorship until it
changes. (Applause.)
Cuba's regime uses the U.S. embargo as
a scapegoat for Cuba's miseries. Yet Presidents
of both our political parties have long
understood that the source of Cuba's suffering
is not the embargo, but the communist system.
They know that trade with the Cuban government
would not help the Cuban people until there
are major changes to Cuba's political and
economic system. Instead, trade with Cuba
would merely enrich the elites in power
and strengthen their grip. As long as the
regime maintains its monopoly over the political
and economic life of the Cuban people, the
United States will keep the embargo in place.
(Applause.)
The United States knows how much the Cuban
people are suffering -- and we have not
stood idle. Over the years, we've granted
asylum to hundreds of thousands who have
fled the repression and misery imposed by
the regime. We've rallied nations to take
up the banner of Cuban liberty. And we will
continue to do so. We've authorized private
citizens and organizations to provide food,
and medicine, and other aid -- amounting
to more than $270 million last year alone.
The American people, the people of this
generous land, are the largest providers
of humanitarian aid to the Cuban people
in the entire world. (Applause.)
The aid we provide goes directly into the
hands of the Cuban people, rather than into
the coffers of the Cuban leaders. And that's
really the heart of our policy: to break
the absolute control that the regime holds
over the material resources that the Cuban
people need to live and to prosper and to
have hope.
To further that effort, the United States
is prepared to take new measures right now
to help the Cuban people directly -- but
only if the Cuban regime, the ruling class,
gets out of the way.
For example -- here's an interesting idea
to help the Cuban people -- the United States
government is prepared to license non-governmental
organizations and faith-based groups to
provide computers and Internet access to
Cuban people -- if Cuba's rulers will end
their restrictions on Internet access for
all the people.
Or the United States is prepared to invite
Cuban young people whose families suffer
oppression into the Partnership for Latin
American Youth scholarship programs, to
help them have equal access to greater educational
opportunities -- if the Cuban rulers will
allow them to freely participate.
We make these offers to the people of Cuba
-- and we hope their rulers will allow them
to accept. You know, we've made similar
offers before -- but they've been rejected
out of hand by the regime. It's a sad lesson,
and it should be a vivid lesson for all:
For Cuba's ruling class, its grip on power
is more important than the welfare of its
people.
Life will not improve for Cubans under
their current system of government. It will
not improve by exchanging one dictator for
another. It will not improve if we seek
accommodation with a new tyranny in the
interests of "stability." (Applause.)
America will have no part in giving oxygen
to a criminal regime victimizing its own
people. We will not support the old way
with new faces, the old system held together
by new chains. The operative word in our
future dealings with Cuba is not "stability."
The operative word is "freedom."
(Applause.)
In that spirit, today I also am announcing
a new initiative to develop an international
multi-billion dollar Freedom Fund for Cuba.
This fund would help the Cuban people rebuild
their economy and make the transition to
democracy. I have asked two members of my
Cabinet to lead the effort -- Secretary
Rice and Secretary Gutierrez. They will
enlist foreign governments and international
organizations to contribute to this initiative.
And here's how the fund will work: The
Cuban government must demonstrate that it
has adopted, in word and deed, fundamental
freedoms. These include the freedom of speech,
freedom of association, freedom of press,
freedom to form political parties, and the
freedom to change the government through
periodic, multi-party elections. And once
these freedoms are in place, the fund will
be able to give Cubans -- especially Cuban
entrepreneurs -- access to grants, and loans
and debt relief to help rebuild their country.
(Applause.)
The restoration of these basic freedoms
is the foundation of fair, free and competitive
elections. Without these fundamental protections
in place, elections are only cynical exercises
that give dictatorships a legitimacy they
do not deserve.
We will know there is a new Cuba when opposition
parties have the freedom to organize, assemble
and speak with equal access to the airwaves.
We will know there is a new Cuba when a
free and independent press has the power
to operate without censors. We will know
there is a new Cuba when the Cuban government
removes its stranglehold on private economic
activity.
And above all, we will know there is a
new Cuba when authorities go to the prisons,
walk to the cells where people are being
held for their beliefs and set them free.
(Applause.) It will be a time when the families
here are reunited with their loved ones,
and when the names of free people -- including
dissidents such as Oscar Elias Biscet, Normando
Hernandez Gonzales, and Omar Rodriguez Saludes
are free. (Applause.) It will be a moment
when Cubans of conscience are released from
their shackles -- not as a gesture or a
tactic, but because the government no longer
puts people in prison because of what they
think, or what they say or what they believe.
Cuba's transition from a shattered society
to a free country may be long and difficult.
Things will not always go as hoped. There
will be difficult adjustments to make. One
of the curses of totalitarianism is that
it affects everyone. Good people make moral
compromises to feed their families, avoid
the whispers of neighbors, and escape a
visit from the secret police. If Cuba is
to enter a new era, it must find a way to
reconcile and forgive those who have been
part of the system but who do not have blood
on their hands. They're victims as well.
At this moment, my words are being transmitted
into -- live into Cuba by media outlets
in the free world -- including Radio and
TV Marti. To those Cubans who are listening
-- perhaps at great risk -- I would like
to speak to you directly.
Some of you are members of the Cuban military,
or the police, or officials in the government.
You may have once believed in the revolution.
Now you can see its failure. When Cubans
rise up to demand their liberty, they --
they -- the liberty they deserve, you've
got to make a choice. Will you defend a
disgraced and dying order by using force
against your own people? Or will you embrace
your people's desire for change? There is
a place for you in the free Cuba. You can
share the hope found in the song that has
become a rallying cry for freedom-loving
Cubans on and off the island: "Nuestro
Dia Ya Viene Llegando." Our day is
coming soon. (Applause.)
To the ordinary Cubans who are listening:
You have the power to shape your own destiny.
You can bring about a future where your
leaders answer to you, where you can freely
express your beliefs and where your children
can grow up in peace. Many experts once
said that that day could never come to Eastern
Europe, or Spain or Chile. Those experts
were wrong. When the Holy Father came to
Cuba and offered God's blessings, he reminded
you that you hold your country's future
in your hands. And you can carry this refrain
in your heart: Su dia ya viene llegando.
Your day is coming soon. (Applause.)
To the schoolchildren of Cuba: You have
a lot in common with young people in the
United States. You both dream of hopeful
futures, and you both have the optimism
to make those dreams come true. Do not believe
the tired lies you are told about America.
We want nothing from you except to welcome
you to the hope and joy of freedom. Do not
fear the future. Su dia ya viene llegando.
Your day is coming soon. (Applause.)
Until that day, you and your suffering
are never far from our hearts and prayers.
The American people care about you. And
until we stand together as free men and
women, I leave you with a hope, a dream,
and a mission: Viva Cuba Libre. (Applause.)
END 1:48 P.M. EDT
|