-BREAKING NEWS March 21, 2016 by;
Theron K. Cal Managing Editor, RBR Network
(Havana, Cuba)President Obama & his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro gave a historic Press Conference in Havana this afternoon in which both parties acknowledged disagreements around human rights and democracy.
Obama in a private meeting with Castro said they discussed civil and human rights violations in Cuba, racism, income inequality and injustice in the United States. The first U.S. President to visit Cuba in over ninety years offered- the need and right for Cuba to remain sovereign-decide the policy and political direction of its Country.
When asked a question about America holding Cuban political prisoners and whether or not he preferred Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump; Obama refused to answer while Castro offered he doesn’t have any political prisoners- if a list of names was presented he’d release them immediately. As for the Trump verses Hillary question he doesn’t have voting privileges in the U.S. so the question would be better posed to Mr. Obama.
Air Force One appears to be flying into the past to broker Cuba’s future.
NBC political reporter Andrea Mitchell, asked both Presidents about recent arrests-moments before Air Force One touched down-in Cuba pressing both on whether or not the United States can have any economic relationship with Cuba. The President offered the embargo has lasted fifty-five years and has not worked.
“We can’t force change on a Country that has to come from within’.” Obama said. The President cited his disagreement with China’s human rights violations and his scheduled trip to Vietnam. “I have faith in people, if we work together like we are in building the internet in Cuba and to lift the embargo…at the very least its better than what we’ve been doing for fifty years that hasn’t worked.” Obama said.
President Castro, after subtle prodding from his U.S. counterpart was compelled to answer Mitchell’s question about human rights. “I can’t answer general questions about political prisoners, give me a list, give me some names…” Castro said. “In Cuba a man and woman receive the same pay. Its unfair to politicize human rights it should not be a political issue” Castro concluded.
With that the Cuban President ended the presser.
Obama: “Cuba’s a sovereign Country…”
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