U.S.-Cuba policy could take center stage at Americas summit

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tuesday, 04.07.09
U.S.-Cuba policy could take center stage at Americas summit

President Barack Obama is expected to address Cuba travel policy as pressure mounts leading up to the Summit of the Americas.

BY LESLEY CLARK
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON -- The White House advisor to the upcoming Summit of the Americas on Monday confirmed President Barack Obama's intention to ease family travel and remittances to Cuba in coming days and wouldn't rule out a meeting between Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

Even as he acknowledged the widespread interest in Cuba and increased pressure to fully lift the U.S. economic embargo, advisor Jeffrey S. Davidow stressed the administration's hope the communist-ruled nation would not dominate next week's gathering of the 34 hemispheric leaders.

~snip~
In the coming days, Obama is to announce a change to Cuba policy to allow Cuban Americans annual visits with relatives on the island and send them money as often as they like.

Pressure is mounting for Obama to do more. A procession of Latin American presidents has visited Havana in the past months, publicly underscoring how Washington's policy is out of sync with the rest of the hemisphere. The House and the Senate held back-to-back press events last week to advocate bills that would change Cuba policy. Even a top Republican on the Senate foreign relations committee wrote Obama last week asking him to appoint a special envoy for talks with Cuba and to begin discussions about including Cuba in the OAS.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/987808.html

[romy]

1. COHAs take on the summit

Cuba, Chavez, Drugs, Free Trade... And a change in approach?

http://www.coha.org/2009/04/summit-of-the-americas-obama-goes-to-trinidad/
Summit of the Americas: Obama Goes to Trinidad
An Opportunity to Build a Coherent U.S.-Latin America Policy

- President Obama travels to Trinidad on April 17 with a unique opportunity to redefine U.S.-Latin American relations
- The time for taking stock is over, and the U.S. must present a coherent plan composed of inclusiveness, constructive engagement and a definitive end to a Cold War mentality to its southern neighbors
- In the absence of a seasoned Latin Americanist in the White House, Washington may well struggle to meet even minimal expectations
- The reconstruction of a meaningful inter-American relationship must involve the dismantling of the Cuban embargo and Washington’s singling out Cuba for special treatment
- The world knows that there are scores of worse human rights violators than Cuba, over which the White House loses no sleep

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for posting the link. They are generally very decent, for sure.

Welcome to D.U., romy. Great to see someone genuinely interested in US/Latin American policy. :hi: