Rubio to Kerry: Meet With Cuban Democracy Leaders During Friday's Cuba Visit

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, today urged Secretary of State John Kerry to demand freedom and respect for the human rights of the Cuban people during his upcoming visit to Cuba.

Rubio also reiterated his promise to block the confirmation of any ambassador to Cuba until political reforms and progress on human rights are seen, the return to the U.S. of harbored terrorists and fugitives to face justice, and the resolution of outstanding American property claims and judgments against the Cuban government.

"Despite all the setbacks President Obama's [policies] have inflicted on the cause of a free and democratic Cuba, I urge you to at least use the opportunity of your upcoming August 14th trip to Havana to demand the freedom and rights of the Cuban people," wrote Rubio. "During your meetings with Cuban officials, you should demand that all political prisoners are released. During your visit, you should meet with the courageous leaders who are fighting to bring freedom to Cuba and invite them to the ceremony you will be presiding over at the new American embassy. This should include leaders such as Antonio Rodiles, head of Estado de SATS; Berta Soler, head of the Ladies in White; Jorge Garcia Perez Antunez, former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience and human rights activist; Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, a U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience and labor leader; and Guillermo Farinas, recipient of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

"They, among many others, and not the Castro family, are the legitimate representatives of the Cuban people," Rubio continued. "For the Obama Administration to shun these courageous Cubans after years of enduring imprisonment, physical abuses, assassinations and threats would be another unforgivable betrayal of America's moral leadership in the world. The Obama Administration has already given the Castro regime enough, and it stands to give away even more as it loosens business and travel regulations. At the very least, don't send another message that, under this president, America cares more about endearing itself to the oppressors instead of standing up for the oppressed."

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