Controversy Around Mariela Castro’s Visit to US Sharpening

HAVANA TIMES — The arrival in the United States of Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban president Raul Castro, has provoked strong criticism of the Obama administration by Republican politicians, Europa Press reports.

US Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, who took sides with the GOP lawmakers, said, “Allowing Raul’s daughter to come to the US when the regime still holds Alan Gross makes no sense.”

The director of the Hispanic Leadership Network, Jennifer Korn, added: “There’s a huge difference between the Bush-era visits and the most recent visa approvals by Obama. The human rights situation in Cuba has deteriorated since Castro’s initial visit,” referring to the three previous visits by the Cuban sexologist.

Castro is in the city of San Francisco (California) along with 60 other Cuban officials to participate in the Latin American Studies Association conference that began on Wednesday.