or willingness of this regime by raul castro to really effect change towards democracy? people in cuba still really respect and revere almost fidel castro but there s no doubt under raul s presidency, there have been a lot of openness and reforms implemented in cuba, particularly, economic in nature. a lot of things are permitted in cuba now that were not permitted as long as fidel was in office. so i think with raul, this is what he told me personally and all the visitors is he s looking for an opportunity to open up cuba step by step. i think that s what we have to expect. as you said, most of the changes under raul castro have been economic. i think they can sell cars to each other, they can sell even property to each other, though not necessarily i think to foreigners, not 100% on that, but in terms of loosening the binds under which the cuban people live, internet use has
people in the u.s. congress on both parties and they stick together when it comes to this because it is so important to the first hand victims that they represent. dan, what do you say? you serve in the obama white house. what do you say to the charges this is essentially rewarding bad behavior, an oppressive regime? a failure in reaching goals isn t a reward to anybody. continuing the policy would have been a reward to those who it benefits. this is the u.s. being more relevant in the future of cuba and the people more relevant in the future of cuba. one thing i agree with marco rubio who deeply disagree is we need to see a free and democratic cuba. president obama said we haven t been successfully getting there with the policy we ve been following for the last 55 plus years. let s try something different and let s try something that s been consistent with what marco rubio calls an illusion and a lie is the basis of democrat and
just mentioned, we started the diplomatic relations process and we established major intersections in both havana an we had diplomats serves in the intersection of havana. i think that will continue no matter what happens. the normal diplomatic relations will continue and i hope congress goes ahead to remove the embargo and the sanctions because that doesn t hurt the castro brothers. it hurts the people of cuba who had to suffer because of our own imposed economic sanctions. i think this is a good move for both cubans and americans and a major step forward for more freedom and more democracy and respect for human rights in cuba as well. critics of this say, as you know, if it alleviates the economic pressure against the regime though, that, effect, helps the cuban people and does
republican since the end of world war ii. the greater commerce, greater economic interaction is part of the path to opening societies that clearly don t want to be open. i m under no illusions cuban authorities don t want to open up but playing the same game for 55 years isn t a way to achieve that. what do you say to that, 55 years has attempted to change the direction of the regime and failed to do that. if toppling the castro regime is the objective, that wasn t achieved but they ve been on the ropes. a lot of the survival depends on venezuelan oil money is drying up and economy is in shambles. we ve held it in place for 50 plus years. the cuban regime, two castro brothers since january 1st, 1959. over half a century. we are a lot closer to the end than we are to the beginning and
the future of cuba. one thing i agree with marco rubio who deeply disagree is we need to see a free and democratic cuba. president obama said we haven t been successfully getting there with the policy we ve been following for the last 55 plus years. let s try something different and let s try something that s been consistent with what marco rubio calls an illusion and a lie is the basis of democrat and republican since the end of world war ii. the greater commerce, greater economic interaction is part of the path to opening societies that clearly don t want to be open. i m under no illusions cuban authorities don t want to open up but playing the same game for 55 years isn t a way to achieve that. what do you say to that, 55 years has attempted to change the direction of the regime and failed to do that. if toppling the castro regime is the objective, that wasn t achieved but they ve been on the ropes.