Gov. Bush, Crist reaffirm support of U.S. trade embargo on Cuba

Gov. Bush, Crist reaffirm support of U.S. trade embargo on Cuba
By Sarah Larimer
Associated Press Writer
Posted December 20 2006, 4:36 PM EST

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- With Fidel Castro's health waning, Gov. Jeb Bush,
Gov.-elect Charlie Crist and other federal and state officials
reaffirmed their support of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba in hopes it
will lead to the communist government's downfall upon his death.

``The hour is upon us and the time is now,'' U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez,
R-Fla., told supporters of the U.S.-Cuba Democracy political action
committee at the group's annual luncheon. Martinez was born in Cuba, but
his family sent him to Florida four decades ago when he was 15 to escape
the Castro government.

Castro's exact medical condition has been a state secret since he
underwent surgery for intestinal bleeding in late July and temporarily
ceded power to his younger brother Raul Castro. Castro, who took power
in 1959, has not been seen publicly since July 26.

That absence, plus photographs released by the government showing a
gaunt and frail Castro, indicate the 80-year-old leader probably won't
resume full power, some U.S. leaders say.

On his first trip to Florida since forming a presidential exploratory
committee in early December, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., urged
political leaders to act as a voice for Cubans and voiced his support
for the embargo.

``Trading with Cuba is not the way to bring about democratic change in
Cuba,'' Brownback said.

President Kennedy imposed economic sanctions against Cuba in 1963 during
the Cold War with the aim of isolating the Castro government
economically and depriving it of U.S. dollars. Forty years later,
President Bush has sought more stringent enforcement of provisions
forbidding most travel here.

Critics of the embargo say it is outdated and has not worked because
Castro remains in power and the nation is still communist. They also say
the United States trades with other communist countries, such as China
and Vietnam, and the policy hurts average Cubans more than Castro.

But Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, said that she was committed
to bipartisan support of the embargo and congressional Democrats were
``ready to support the Cuban people.''

``The freedom of the people is not a Republican or Democratic issue,''
she said. ``It is an intrinsically human issue.''

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-1220cubaembargo,0,3705916.story?coll=sfla-news-cuba