|
A
letter to the president
Posted on Tue, Aug. 12, 2003 in The
Miami Herald.
This is a letter sent Monday to President Bush
by several state Republican representatives from
South Florida regarding U.S. policy on Cuba.
It is with great pride in your dedicated service
to our nation that we send our most cordial greetings
from South Florida. Our continued thoughts and
prayers are with you as you continue to courageously
provide our country a forceful and steady hand
during some difficult times in world affairs.
We take this opportunity to write in light of
recent developments regarding U.S.-Cuba policy.
As you know, the Cuban-American community has
been one of the most, if not the most, loyal constituencies
in the Republican Party's history. The elections
of Republican icons like former presidents Reagan
and Bush demonstrated this loyalty as Cuban Americans
voted over 90 percent for their candidacies. It
is no mistake or coincidence that three out of
four Hispanic Republican members of the U.S. Congress
are Cuban American.
Given its loyalty to the GOP, we are obligated
to share with you a growing and alarming concern
in the Cuban-American community regarding the
Bush administration's current Cuba policy.
The Cuban-American community is most appreciative
of your steadfast commitment to maintain U.S.
sanctions against the Castro regime until all
political prisoners are freed in Cuba, freedom
of expression and association is established and
internationally supervised elections are scheduled.
However, there is great disappointment and outrage
over the lack of a comprehensive policy agenda
that reflects your commitment to such a serious
issue as the freedom of the Cuban people.
The Cuban-American members of Congress have made
specific recommendations to the administration.
These recommendations include:
o Immediate revision of the 1994 Clinton-Castro
Migration Accord.
o Indictment of Fidel Castro for the murder of
three U.S. citizens and a U.S. legal resident
on Feb. 24, 1996.
o Ensuring TV Martí is seen by the Cuban
people.
o Increasing financial and technical assistance
to Cuba's democratic opposition movement.
We wholeheartedly endorse these recommendations.
We feel it is our responsibility as Republican
elected officials to inform you that unless substantial
progress on the above-mentioned issues occurs
rapidly, we fear the historic and intense support
from Cuban-American voters for Republican federal
candidates, including yourself, will be jeopardized.
Next month our Cuban-American congressmen will
face another serious battle in Congress to prevent
the weakening of the U.S. embargo on the Cuban
dictatorship. Specifically, Republican Rep. Jeff
Flake is expected to renew his effort to open
mass U.S. tourism to the Cuban dictatorship. You
have firmly opposed any weakening of the embargo
in the past.
It is absolutely critical that you express as
soon as possible, once again, that you will never
permit any weakening of the embargo while you
are president.
Furthermore, our community is firmly opposed
to the 1994 Clinton-Castro Migration Accord, by
which Cuban refugees intercepted at sea are returned
to Cuba.
In the fall of 2000, as a candidate for the presidency,
you committed in a letter to Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
that you would carry out as president a thorough
review of all Clinton executive actions regarding
Cuba, including the Migration Accord. The community
is still waiting for the promised review.
It is important for your administration to realize
that there will always be threats of mass migration
from Cuba, as well as other serious threats to
U.S. national security, as long as the Castro
regime is in power.
Accordingly, the ultimate solution to any potential
migration crisis is the liberation of Cuba.
The Cuban tragedy must receive priority attention
by your administration. Our members of Congress
need to be continuously sought out and supported
on the issue of Cuba.
The recent misguided and offensive negotiations
between your administration and the Cuban tyranny
for 10-year prison sentences for returned refugees
who had been intercepted at sea highlights the
importance of coordinating with our Cuban-American
congresspersons on Cuba-related issues.
Cuba can no longer continue to suffer.
Our community deserves the highest attention
and consideration regarding freedom and democracy
for the Cuban people.
As stated earlier, without significant, immediate
and tangible progress on the issues outlined in
this letter, we cannot guarantee that in next
year's election Cuban Americans will provide Republican
candidates for federal office the unprecedented
levels of support garnered in past elections.
We hope this matter can be resolved before Cuban-American
support for Republican candidates is further damaged.
Justice for the Cuban people and the loyalty of
Cuban Americans to the Republican Party deserve
nothing less.
The letter was signed by Reps. Ralph Arza, Gus
Barreiro, Gastón Cantens, René García,
Marcelo Llorente, Juan-Carlos Planas, Manny Priéguez,
David Rivera, Julio Robaina, Marco Rubio, Ken
Sorensen, Juan Zapata, and John Quiñones.
|
