Moderators Ask Sanders About 1985 Comments Praising Communist Cuba

Moderators Ask Sanders About 1985 Comments Praising Communist Cuba
ByTIERNEY SNEEDPublished MARCH 9, 2016, 11:18 PM EST 2495 Views

The moderators of Univision's Democratic presidential debate on
Wednesday pressed Bernie Sanders to explain comments he made praising
Cuba's communist government when he was mayor of Burlington, Vermont.

"In 1961 they invaded Cuba. Everyone was totally convinced Castro was
the worst guy in the world. They forgot that he educated their kids,
gave them health care and totally transformed their society," Sanders
said in an 1985 video unearthed by Buzzfeed News last year.

Sanders explained to the audience in Miami, Florida—home to many Cuban
exiles—that the comments were geared towards the United States' failed
attempt to invade Cuba.

"Throughout the history of our relationship with Latin America we've
operated under the so-called Monroe Doctrine, and that said the United
States had the right do anything they wanted do in Latin America,"
Sanders said, pivoting towards his criticism of Henry Kissinger and the
Reagan administration's actions in the region.

He was asked one more time if he regretted how he characterized
Communist leaders like Fidel Castro in the past.

"The key issue here was whether the United States should go around
overthrowing small Latin American countries," Sanders said.

He didn't address the question head on, but said he hoped "authoritarian
undemocratic" Cuba would become a democratic country. He added that Cuba
has made "good advances" in healthcare and education.

"I think by restoring pull diplomatic relations with Cuba, it will
result in significant improvements to the lives of Cubans and it will
help the United States," he said.

Source: Moderators Ask Sanders About 1985 Comments Praising Communist
Cuba - http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sanders-cuba-communism-omments