FOREIGN POLICY
Bush emphasizes support for freedom cause in Cuba
Cuban-American lawmakers said President Bush's mention of Cuba in his
address was a sign that he will not waver on his tough position on Cuba.
BY PABLO BACHELET
pbachelet@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON - President Bush said Tuesday his administration would
continue to ''speak out'' for freedom in Cuba, mentioning the island for
the first time in a State of the Union address.
''We will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in places like
Cuba, Belarus and Burma, and continue to awaken the conscience of the
world to save the people of Darfur,'' Bush said in a portion of his
speech listing foreign policy priorities.
Earlier, national security advisor Stephen Hadley said, ``we hope there
is an opportunity for a democratic transition in Cuba, where the Cuban
people will have an opportunity, really for the first time, to take
control of their own future and define the kind of government they want
going forward.''
The president did not mention Cuba when he listed nations that violate
human rights in his State of the Union speech a year ago. At the time,
Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen praised Bush's overall speech
but said she was ''bummed out'' by the Cuba omission.
Tuesday, Ros-Lehtinen flashed Bush a thumbs-up when he included Cuba
along with Belarus and Burma.
And Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, who came to the States from Cuba as a
child, said, ``I think it's very important as we talk about countries
that look to freedom that Cuba be among them.''
Opponents of U.S. economic sanctions on the island have renewed their
campaign to ease or lift them. Many also want the U.S. government to
enter into a dialogue with Cuba's interim leadership under Castro's
younger brother, Raúl.
The mention of Cuba in Tuesday's address was seen by Cuban-American
lawmakers as a sign that Bush will not waver on his tough position on
Cuba, which includes maintaining travel and other sanctions until Cuba
moves toward democracy.
''At a critical moment in Cuba's history, President Bush has made clear
that there must be a prompt transition to democracy and that the U.S.
will not normalize relations nor ease sanctions until Cuba is free,''
said Miami Republican Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart.
''The president understands that it is in our national security interest
to have a truly free neighbor 90 miles from our shores,'' Ros-Lehtinen
said. ``We must continue to press the international community to join
the Cuban people in not accepting anything but true freedom and democracy.''
Miami Herald staff writer Lesley Clark contributed to this report.
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