Saturday, April 11, 2015

Emotional Castro says Cuba blockade not Obama's fault

Cuban President Raul Castro delivered a stunning defense of President Barack Obama on Saturday, absolving him of responsibility for the U.S. blockade against Cuba hours before the two were expected to hold the first major meeting between a U.S. and Cuban president in more than half a century.

Castro, in his speech to the Summit of the Americas, ran through an exhaustive history of perceived Cuban grievances against the U.S. over more than a century, in a vivid display of how raw emotions still run over U.S. attempts to undermine Cuba's government. Then in an abrupt about face, he said there were many U.S. presidents at fault for that history - but that Obama wasn't one of them.

"I apologize to President Obama and to others here. I have told President Obama that I get very emotional talking about the revolution," Castro said. "I apologize to him because President Obama had no responsibility for this."

"In my opinion, President Obama is an honest man," Castro added, a remarkable vote of confidence from the leader of a country that hasn't had diplomatic relations with the U.S. in more than 50 years.

Castro's comments came as he and Obama were expected to meet on the sidelines of the summit in Panama City in a bid to inject fresh momentum into their efforts to restore normal relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

 AP
dailystar.com.lb
11/4/15
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Related:

Obama indicates the US will lift Cuba 'terror' status

US in ‘final stages’ of Cuba's terror sponsor review

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Related 2013:

Cuba's Castro Calls for Integration Free of US / "Vivimos en un mundo regido por un orden internacional injusto"

Cuban President Castro seeks "civilized" US relations

2 comments:

  1. Raúl Castro asegura que 'Obama es un hombre honesto'...

    Raúl Castro, Barack Obama y Rafael Correa ha acaparado la atención de la Cumbre de las Américas hasta la fecha.

    El más efectivo ha sido el cubano, que ha llevado a cabo un ejercicio dialéctico de la 'guerra popular prolongada' de Mao Zedong, y que ha concluido con el agotamiento de la audiencia ante una interminable lección de historia y de ciencia política.

    Raúl ha vuelto a dejar claro que no es Fidel. Ni en carisma ni en retórica. Pero sí en su capacidad de hablar y hablar y hablar, dando su opinión desde el control político de Internet: "Hace falta una gobernanza internacional, democrática y participativa en la generación de contenidos", hasta el genocidio de los indios mayas en Guatemala. Y, sobre todo, para dejar claro que en Cuba el sistema métrico no funciona, y el número 8 (los minutos que cada jefe de Gobierno tiene para hablar) tiene un significado distinto que en el resto del mundo. Claro que su discurso fue materia de "razones de justicia histórica", según declaró el propio presidente de Panamá, Juan Carlos Varela, ya que solo en esta séptima cumbre de las Américas Cuba ha estado presente.

    El mensaje de Castro ha sido claro. Por un lado, se ha adherido a la ortodoxia de su predecesor, es decir, su hermano Fidel.............elmundo.es
    11/4/15

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cuban policy shift marks turning point - Barack Obama...

    Barack Obama told a summit of Latin and North American leaders today that his Cuba policy shift marks a "turning point" for the region.

    "This shift in US policy represents a turning point for our entire region. The fact that (Cuban) President (Raul) Castro and I are both sitting here today marks a historic occasion," he told the Summit of the Americas in Panama City.

    The US State Department has recommended that Cuba be taken off the terrorism list, a US Senate Foreign Relations Committee aide said.........rte.ie
    11/4/15

    ReplyDelete

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