Prime Minister Patrick Manning is sending a clear signal to the region that he wants Cuba fully accepted as part of the community of the Americas. On the eve of the fifth summit of the Americas in Port of Spain Manning has extended an invitation to Cuban President Raul Castro to visit Trinidad and Tobago "when he feels" it is appropriate.Castro cannot attend the summit, which is a forum for democratically elected heads of state and governments of the Americas. But Manning is hoping to make a point during the discussions that Cuba should be included in the community.
It's an argument that would meet fierce resistance from the American delegation. The United States has maintained a trade embargo against Cuba for decades and President Barack Obama is not yet ready to change that although he has relaxed some restrictions.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden reiterated that point over the weekend, telling reporters that Washington is not lifting the embargo against Cuba. He said he and President Obama "think that Cuban people should determine their own fate and they should be able to live in freedom".
Castro's closest ally in the region, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, will be at the summit. Manning made an unsuccessful attempt to visit Chavez last week. The leftist Venezuelan leader was too busy dealing with domestic matters to meet with Manning.
Trade and Industry Minister Mariano Browne told reporters last week Manning will still try to meet with Chavez before the summit begins on April 17.
"If we all are friends of Cuba, we cannot continue accepting impositions from the North American empire," Chavez said Sunday in his weekly radio address. "I ask myself, why Cuba is not there if Cuba is our friend?"
1 comment:
END THE EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA NOW !!
President Obama and those presidents in 19 years before him, continue to refuse to honour UN resolutions. When a leader's only means of staying in power is to use "a cruel and aggressive policy, absolutely contrary to international law, that this government insists on maintaining knowing that it causes harm, hardships and violates the human rights of an entire people.", he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now,"
For 19 consecutive years, the U.N. General Assembly has voted overwhelming to condemn almost a half-century of U.S. sanctions against Cuba, calling for the "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of The USA against Cuba." and demanding an end to what member states say is a Cold War anachronism that only hurts ordinary people. In October 2010, the final vote by U.N. member states was 187 in favor of ending the sanctions, with two countries — the United States and Israel — in favor of keeping them. The Marshall Islands, Palau and Micronesia abstained. (Anita Snow, Associated Press / October 26, 2010).
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