Ros-Lehtinen goes toe-to-toe with White House on Cuba

Ros-Lehtinen goes toe-to-toe with White House on Cuba

Questions administration's commitment to human rights
Criticizes State Department's 25-percent cut in pro-democracy spending
Secretary Kerry says administration in a better position than ever
BY FRANCO ORDOÑEZ
fordonez@mcclatchydc.com

WASHINGTON
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen challenged the Obama administration's
commitment to human rights in Cuba on Thursday, pressing Secretary of
State John Kerry on the administration's plans to cut spending next year
on democracy and human rights on the island by 25 percent.

ARE HUMAN RIGHTS A PRIORITY FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION?
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

The State Department has requested $15 million, down from $20 million
this year, to pay for assistance to victims of political repression and
their families and to strengthen independent Cuban civil society.

"Are human rights a priority for this administration?" Ros-Lehtinen asked.

Kerry's response: "Of course, they are."

The four-minute confrontation at a House Foreign Affairs Committee
hearing on the State Department's budget was the latest confrontation
between members of Congress and the administration over Cuba policy.
Both Ros-Lehtinen and her fellow Miami Republican, Rep. Mario
Diaz-Balart, have called the warming relations with Cuba shameful, while
Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas, both Republican
presidential contenders, have accused Obama of making too many
concessions to the communist government.

WE BELIEVE WE HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF CHANGING CUBA THAN ANYTHING THAT
HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
Secretary of State John Kerry

Kerry defended the administration, saying the improvement in relations
allows the U.S. to have more diplomats in Cuba and creates opportunities
to work in areas of mutual interest.

"In fact," Kerry said, "we believe we have actually created more
opportunities for intervention, more opportunities to make progress. One
in four people in Cuba are beginning to work for private enterprise."

Ros-Lehtinen says that assessment is naive. She cited Cuba's harsh
treatment of dissidents since the announcement in December 2014 of the
new relationship, with the reported arrests of more than 8,000 people,
many of whom expressed points of view that contrast those of the Cuban
government.

Citing the 20th anniversary Wednesday of the downing of two Brothers to
the Rescue aircraft by a Cuban jet fighter, Ros-Lehtinen also pressed
Kerry for a commitment that the administration would seek the
extradition of the government officials responsible for the shoot-down,
which killed four Miami-based anti-Castro activists.

Kerry did not respond directly, but reiterated that more groups,
including non-government agencies, are traveling to Cuba and working
directly with the Cuban people more than ever in the past half-century.

"We believe we have a greater chance of changing Cuba than anything that
has happened in the last 50 years," Kerry said. "It didn't work for 50
years. Nothing changed. Now it is changing."

Email: fordonez@mcclatchydc.com; Twitter: @francoordonez.

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