Colombia Seeks Cuba-US Rapprochement
HAVANA TIMES, April 9 — Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos said in an interview to the Sunday edition of the local newspaper El Tiempo that the US and Cuba need to come closer to each other and change their relations, reported AP.
“At this point, it makes no sense (Cuba) isn’t here. There’s a certain degree of hypocrisy in the way they treat Cuba without applying the same standard to other countries. If there is good faith, I would like see them come closer in order to seek a new relationship,” said the Colombian president.
Santos admitted that any eventual coming together would only be possible only after the US presidential elections scheduled for this coming November.
The countries of the region look forward to the participation of the Cuban government in coming up with possible alternatives for waging the current war on drugs, an issue that will be part of discussions between the presidents at the upcoming Summit of the Americas conference in Colombia later this week.
President Santos should not kick the can down the road until it is the problem of the next host of a Summit. He cannot broker a new relationship as long as the US does not change its intent to undermine Cuba’s political system and sovereignty.
If Obama is not reelected, his Republican replacement will be even less inclined to reconcile. Santos should recognize there is even less of a consensus for barring Cuba and urge the US to stand aside, a Quaker means of avoiding a one party veto.
John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development