Mitch Perry
Friday’s announcement that the U.S. would take Cuba off the state sponsored list of terrorist nations wasn’t a surprise, as the Obama administration continue to make moves to advance relations between the two nations.
It’s uncertain when or even that the White House will pick an ambassador to Cuba. If it does, though, Marco Rubio says he’ll be there to block his or her confirmation in the U.S. Senate, unless some things change rapidly between the two nations.
The Florida Senator issued a prepared statement on Monday saying that the U.S. government should leverage Cuba’s lack of progress on human rights since the diplomatic breakthrough was announced last December.
“Despite more than five months of discussions with the Cuban government, I am very concerned about the lack of political reforms, and progress on human rights; the continued harboring of known terrorists and other fugitives from U.S. justice; the outstanding American property claims and judgments against the Cuban government; and the limitations that continue to be placed on American diplomats working in Havana,” Rubio writes. “By conditioning any normalization of relations with Cuba on these topics and other areas, the U.S. can leverage the prospect of improved bilateral relations to obtain tangible benefits for both the American and Cuban peoples.”
There has been strong resistance amongst some members of Congress to the administration’s actions with Cuba, and the likelihood of a bitter, divisive battle over a Cuban ambassador appears likely. Like Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has also announced he would oppose the confirmation of any choice to be the ambassador to Cuba.
In his letter addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry, Rubio lists four issues that he says must be addressed before he could vote in the affirmative for an Obama selection for Cuban Ambassador. They are 1), political reforms and human rights 2) the repatriation of known terrorists and other fugitives from U.S. justice, 3) forcing the Cuban government to compensate the thousands of Americans who claim their property was taken by the Castro government, and 4) more freedom for U.S. diplomats on the Communist island.
“I hope to see a free and democratic Cuba, but that means we must confront the authoritarian Castro regime that suppresses its own people, not acquiesce to their demands,” Rubio writes. “It is important for the United States to continue being a beacon of freedom for the Cuban people. I intend to work with my colleagues to block the Administration’s efforts to pursue diplomatic relations with Cuba and name an Ambassador to Havana until substantive progress is made on these important issues.”
Diplomats between the two nations have met on four occasions this year, but with little movement by the Cuban government as far as improving human rights.
There is speculation that Obama would not be able to confirm anybody through the Senate now as ambassador to Cuba.
Last month Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Politico that while he “ultimately” would like to see a confirmed ambassador, it may take “a little longer” than other aspects of the new U.S.-Cuba relationship. “I don’t think it’s useful to confront a situation that may not have a successful completion,” Cardin said.
Here’s Rubio’s letter in full:
Dear Secretary Kerry,
As the Obama Administration officially removes the Castro regime from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List and you continue high-level negotiations with Cuba in regards to the possible re-opening of the United States Embassy in Havana, there are several issues that I urge you to resolve prior to any agreement being reached. Despite more than five months of discussions with the Cuban government, I am very concerned about the lack of political reforms, and progress on human rights; the continued harboring of known terrorists and other fugitives from U.S. justice; the outstanding American property claims and judgments against the Cuban government; and the limitations that continue to be placed on American diplomats working in Havana. By conditioning any normalization of relations with Cuba on these topics and other areas, the U.S. can leverage the prospect of improved bilateral relations to obtain tangible benefits for both the American and Cuban peoples.
I intend to oppose the confirmation of any potential U.S. Ambassador until the following issues are satisfactorily addressed.
The first relates to political reforms and human rights. President Obama himself stated that “Proudly, the United States has supported democracy and human rights in Cuba through these five decades.” It is extremely important that this support continues as political arrests and repression against peaceful dissidents has spiked since the negotiations. Establishing diplomatic relations with the Castro regime without verified improvements in the situation faced by the Cuban people would not be consistent with our values as a nation and the intent of the U.S. Congress, as codified in law. It is also important that pro-democracy activities not be sacrificed in the name of “diplomacy” just so that we can change the name of a building from “Interest Section” to “Embassy”.
Secondly, I urge you to make central to the current talks the repatriation of known terrorists and other fugitives from U.S. justice. The FBI believes there are more than 70 fugitives from justice that are being provided safe-harbor by the Castro regime. These include Joanne Chesimard, a cop-killer on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Terrorists list, Frank Terpil, a renegade CIA agent who became an assassin-for-hire and arms smuggler for Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and William Morales, a convicted FALN (Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional) bomb maker who conducted a terror bombing campaign in New York. Assistant Secretary Roberta Jacobson testified that “Our future discussions … will expand the avenues available to seek the return of American fugitives from justice”. The victims of these violent individuals, who are being openly harbored by Cuba’s dictatorship, deserve justice now, prior to the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Third, there are billions of dollars of outstanding American property claims against the Cuban government. In the past, as in the case of Libya, the United States has not normalized relations with countries subject to outstanding American claims until they have been resolved or a process for their resolution has been established. There are thousands of verified American claimants who have been waiting for decades to be compensated for the Castro regime’s illegal expropriation of their property and assets. There are also billions of dollars in outstanding judgments from U.S. federal courts against the Cuban government for acts of terrorism. Prior to the establishing of diplomatic relations, the Cuban government should be forced to compensate all of the verified claimants.
Finally, there are currently many limitations placed on U.S. diplomats stationed in the U.S. Interest Section in Havana. U.S. diplomats are typically not allowed outside Havana except for special requests. If we expect our diplomats to be the emissaries of democracy, they must have the freedom to travel the island and meet with pro-democracy groups. The ability to move freely around the island is paramount to observing the human rights abuses that the Castro regime continues to perpetrate against its own people. Also, the ability to securely supply and upgrade any U.S. facility at our sole discretion should not be impeded. Our diplomatic personnel deserve to feel that they are safe and secure in our embassy, and that our diplomatically sensitive shipments are free from Cuban intelligence services interception. We must also demand complete control over which Cuban nationals are hired to work at any U.S. facility.
I hope to see a free and democratic Cuba, but that means we must confront the authoritarian Castro regime that suppresses its own people, not acquiesce to their demands. It is important for the United States to continue being a beacon of freedom for the Cuban people. I intend to work with my colleagues to block the Administration’s efforts to pursue diplomatic relations with Cuba and name an Ambassador to Havana until substantive progress is made on these important issues.
Sincerely,
Marco Rubio
