Cuba Policy to Remain Intact, says Obama

By Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES, Oct. 20 — US President Barack Obama, ruled out a change of policy toward Cuba until the island’s government shows its gestures are serious on the road toward greater freedom in the Caribbean island nation, reported IPS on Wednesday.

Speaking during a press conference to Spanish-speaking media in Washington, Obama said “I think that any release of political prisoners, any economic liberalization that takes place in Cuba is positive, positive for Cuban people, but we’ve not yet seen the full results of these promises.”

Before Obama took office in January 2009, he gave the impression of his desire to make changes in the hostile US policy towards Cuba and possibly free-up ordinary US citizens to visit the neighboring country.

Nonetheless, after nearly two years of the current administration,  the half-century economic blockade and the travel ban remain firmly in place.

On Tuesday October 26, the United Nations is scheduled to once again vote on a Cuban motion to condemn the US blockade.  In last year’s vote only Isreal and Palau voted with the US, while 187 countries sided with Cuba’s postion.