Sunday, May 25, 2008
Last updated: Monday May 26, 2008, EDT 8:15 AM
BY HARVY LIPMAN
STAFF WRITER
Cuban Americans in North Jersey offered mixed reactions Sunday to Sen.
Barack Obama's speech outlining his policy toward Cuba.
In comments on Friday to the Cuban American National Foundation in
Miami, Obama said he would be open to direct diplomacy with the
Communist regime on the island, aimed at getting it to "take significant
steps toward democracy." He said he would continue the American trade
embargo, using it as negotiating leverage with the government. But he
also said he would lift all restrictions limiting how much money Cuban
Americans can send to their families on the island and how often they
can visit their relatives.
Elsa Ybarra, of Passaic, said she didn't think any American president
would do much to help Cubans achieve freedom. "[Presidential candidates]
are looking for Cuban American votes," said Ybarra, a member of Alpha
66, the militant Cuban exile group. "Whatever they promise, they don't
keep. It's our obligation to free the land, not the United States'
obligation."
She added she didn't think allowing Cuban Americans to send more money
to their relatives would help them too much. "When you send them money,
the family only gets $65 for every $100 you send. The government takes
the rest," Ybarra said.
To Felix Alfonso of New Milford, however, the time has come for a new
American policy toward Cuba. "It's been 50 years and nothing has
changed," he said of the United States' hard-line approach. "The people
of Cuba are suffering, and their relatives here are suffering."
Alfonso, whose family owns the El Artesano restaurant in Union City,
added that he used to think the American isolation of Cuba was a good
idea. "But in hindsight, nothing has come of it. It doesn't benefit
anyone. It doesn't benefit the Cuban people. It doesn't benefit Cuban
Americans. And it doesn't benefit our country."
He said, however, that a generational split exists between Cuban
Americans over the politics of dealing with their homeland. "The older
generation of exiles are opposed to any communication with the Cuban
government in any way," said Alfonso, 40. "I'm from the younger
generation, and I think what Senator Obama is saying is right on. No
other politician has even addressed anything like this."
"My father's 88, and he'd kill me if he heard me say this, but I'm all
for [Obama's plan]," said Maidelys Dominguez, 37, of Dumont. "With the
older crowd, their mentality is just get Raul and Fidel [Castro] out.
They don't think outside the box. They don't think about the fact that
the policy hasn't worked. It's a real macho mentality." Dominguez said
that she has visited her sister in Cuba and "through Western Union you
can send $300 every three months." But she added she "is all for" making
it easier to visit and send money to the island.
Her brother, Eduardo Lopez, is 50, putting him between the older and
younger generations of Cuban Americans. He came to the United States
when he was 14 and long supported a firm stance against the Castro
government. "But for 50 years nothing has changed," Lopez said. "That
means it's not working. That means you've got to talk to the enemy."
He added that his biggest reason for wanting to change America's
approach to Cuba is the suffering of the Cuban people. "I visited Cuba,
and it looks like Iraq. Everything is wrecked. We've got to talk to the
Cuban government and find a way to fix the problem."
E-mail: lipman@northjersey.com
Cuban Americans in North Jersey offered mixed reactions Sunday to Sen.
Barack Obama's speech outlining his policy toward Cuba.
AP
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., listens to a
speech from Jorge Mas Santos, Chairman of the Cuban American National
Foundation at a Cuban Independence Day Celebration in Miami, Fla.
In comments on Friday to the Cuban American National Foundation in
Miami, Obama said he would be open to direct diplomacy with the
Communist regime on the island, aimed at getting it to "take significant
steps toward democracy." He said he would continue the American trade
embargo, using it as negotiating leverage with the government. But he
also said he would lift all restrictions limiting how much money Cuban
Americans can send to their families on the island and how often they
can visit their relatives.
Elsa Ybarra, of Passaic, said she didn't think any American president
would do much to help Cubans achieve freedom. "[Presidential candidates]
are looking for Cuban American votes," said Ybarra, a member of Alpha
66, the militant Cuban exile group. "Whatever they promise, they don't
keep. It's our obligation to free the land, not the United States'
obligation."
She added she didn't think allowing Cuban Americans to send more money
to their relatives would help them too much. "When you send them money,
the family only gets $65 for every $100 you send. The government takes
the rest," Ybarra said.
To Felix Alfonso of New Milford, however, the time has come for a new
American policy toward Cuba. "It's been 50 years and nothing has
changed," he said of the United States' hard-line approach. "The people
of Cuba are suffering, and their relatives here are suffering."
Alfonso, whose family owns the El Artesano restaurant in Union City,
added that he used to think the American isolation of Cuba was a good
idea. "But in hindsight, nothing has come of it. It doesn't benefit
anyone. It doesn't benefit the Cuban people. It doesn't benefit Cuban
Americans. And it doesn't benefit our country."
He said, however, that a generational split exists between Cuban
Americans over the politics of dealing with their homeland. "The older
generation of exiles are opposed to any communication with the Cuban
government in any way," said Alfonso, 40. "I'm from the younger
generation, and I think what Senator Obama is saying is right on. No
other politician has even addressed anything like this."
"My father's 88, and he'd kill me if he heard me say this, but I'm all
for [Obama's plan]," said Maidelys Dominguez, 37, of Dumont. "With the
older crowd, their mentality is just get Raul and Fidel [Castro] out.
They don't think outside the box. They don't think about the fact that
the policy hasn't worked. It's a real macho mentality." Dominguez said
that she has visited her sister in Cuba and "through Western Union you
can send $300 every three months." But she added she "is all for" making
it easier to visit and send money to the island.
Her brother, Eduardo Lopez, is 50, putting him between the older and
younger generations of Cuban Americans. He came to the United States
when he was 14 and long supported a firm stance against the Castro
government. "But for 50 years nothing has changed," Lopez said. "That
means it's not working. That means you've got to talk to the enemy."
He added that his biggest reason for wanting to change America's
approach to Cuba is the suffering of the Cuban people. "I visited Cuba,
and it looks like Iraq. Everything is wrecked. We've got to talk to the
Cuban government and find a way to fix the problem."
E-mail: lipman@northjersey.com
http://www.northjersey.com/news/nationalpolitics/Mixed_feelings_on_Obamas_proposed_Cuba_policy.html
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