Mitch Perry
For the first time since severing ties in 1961, the U.S. and Cuba reopened embassies in each other’s capitals Monday. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla traveled to the Cuban Embassy in Washington to raise his country’s flag, an event that was broadcast live on the island’s state-run TV.
Tampa Bay area Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has been a passionate advocate for liberalizing relations with the Caribbean island since she traveled there in 2013. She attended Monday’s flag-raising ceremony at the Cuban embassy, and in a statement, said she looked forward to her colleagues in Congress taking the next step to end the 54-year trade embargo on country.
Cuba has done little in terms of cleaning up its abysmal record on human rights in the seven months since President Barack Obama announced the diplomatic breakthrough with Cuba in December. Congresswoman Castor said serious change probably won’t happen there until fresh blood takes over the Cuban government. “All you have to do is look at the age of the current leadership and understand there is going to be a generational shift,” she said of the Raul Castro-led regime. He turned 84 this month.
“Younger generations there are very hopeful for change, whether that means their political system, I don’t know” she acknowledged Monday afternoon. “They will have to address human rights. We will be in a better position for engagement to encourage that.”
Castor said she spoke Monday at the new embassy with Google officials who say they are building relationships with the Cuban government. She said it would be a “breath of fresh air” to get the island connected with broadband Internet service. Although people use cell phones in Cuba, Wi-Fi is practically nonexistent. “If we’re going to help lift the economics for Cuban people they’re going to have to be wired,” she said.
Castor said congressional approval of repealing the U.S. sanctions won’t happen soon because her colleagues in Washington are way behind the curve. “I think it will happen too slowly, but it needs to, and if people will visit Cuba and understand what the embargo and the repressive Cuban regime for decades has done, we’ve gotta do better to help the country.”
Undoubtedly Cuba will be an issue in next year’s U.S. Senate race in Florida.
Monday afternoon, GOP Senate hopeful Carlos Lopez-Cantera issued a news release condemning Monday’s diplomatic recognition of Cuba. He said that if elected next year, he would demand three things before he would vote for any change in American policy:
- The unconditional release of all Cuban political prisoners;
- The Cuban people should regain their right to assembly, association and a free press; and
- There should be multi-party elections with international supervision.
The newest entrant to the race, Pinellas County’s David Jolly, said the president’s diplomatic opening with Cuba has been too aggressive and done too quickly.
