Cuban FM Meets with Nancy Pelosi
Leader of the Democratic Party minority in the US House of Representatives
HAVANA TIMES — Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met on Wednesday with Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Party leader in the US Congress, who arrived on the island heading a nine-member delegation, reported dpa.
Rodriguez and Pelosi “discussed the recent bilateral dialogue to restore diplomatic relations” between the two countries, said the official Cubadebate website, which published pictures of the meeting in the Cuban Foreign Ministry.
Pelosi arrived in Havana on Tuesday at the head of a group of nine Democratic congress persons. This is the first official delegation of the House of Representatives that reaches Cuba after historic announcement of December 17.
Cuba and the United States announced late last year, unexpectedly, the decision to resume diplomatic relations after more than half a century of rupture and ideological hostilities.
“This delegation travels to Cuba on a friendly mission to build on the announcement of the normalization of US relations (with Cuba),” said the legislators in a statement.
The group also plans to meet with representatives of civil society including the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, among others.
On Monday, a group of three Democratic senators left the island after a visit of several days. They advocated a greater trade relationship between the two countries.
After the diplomatic rapprochement announced in December, several congressmen and senators of the Democratic Party and some Republicans have visited the island to advocate for the process and get to know the situation in Cuba first hand.
The announcement that the two former enemies would resume diplomatic relations, broken off by the US in 1961, caused a sensation in the world.
Cuba and the United States held a first round of talks in January to draw the roadmap that should lead to the reopening of embassies in their respective countries. A second round of talks is set for February 27 in Washington.
What did those people remember from the Batista years? A dictatorship that was only three years old or the food lines they’ve had since 1962- the year that Castro turned his revolution to his version of Communism? Pa leez!
I’m not a big fan of Congress Woman Pelosi but I get my info more from
people who live and breathe “in the zone!” I respect your comments regarding her and will think a bit more when I review her policies and agenda. Tks
Obama’s foreign policy record is a work in progress, Given the shitty hand he was dealt by Bush II, he has had an uphill battle since he came to the White House. I put ‘Honey Trap’ in quotes for exactly the reason you pointed out. While I admit I may be dreaming, I am hopeful that despite the poor preparation of our chief negotiator, America has less to lose should a bad deal get struck. Put another way, Cuba is going to remain a poor, third world country for a long time despite all the new tourists and their bank cards. On the other hand, the US is on track to be energy-independent regardless of what deal we have with Cuba.
Nancy’s advance team identified where to get the best cigars and where the nicest paladars are.
Obama’s foreign policy record so far has been nothing short of disaster. I can’t imagine he will suddenly get it right with Cuba. His lead negotiator, Rebeca Jacobson, was unfamiliar with the conditions stipulated in Helms-Burton. We can conclude therefore, that pushing those conditions is not a priority. Obama’s order to Jacobson is to get a deal. He doesn’t much care what’s in the deal, just so long as he gets one. So yeah, you’re dreaming.
The “honey trap” is traditionally a technique used by intelligence agencies to trap a target in a sexual tryst (with a specially trained agent), and then use the secretly recorded film of the encounter to blackmail their victim. The Soviets & the Cubans are masters at that game. Given the long history of lefty US politicians who have made pilgrimages to Cuba over the years, it would surprise me if the DGI doesn’t have a nice collectors editions boxed set of videos featuring Bill Blasio, Dick Durban, Charles Rangel, Jeff Flake, and whoever else passed through Havana to kiss Fidel’s hand. For decency sake, let’s hope Nancy isn’t in that boxed set. But you’re dreaming still if you think she’s pushing for human rights in Cuba.
Two important historical notes:
1. The role of the mafia in Cuba was much smaller than the popular accounts you base your ideas on.
2. The mafia that was in Cuba is dead. So is Batista. It’s well past time to drop that boogeyman.
Diaz-Canel might hold a figurehead role after Raul retires, but with Raul Castro’s son Alejandro Castro-Espin as the head of the State Security apparatus of the Ministry of the Interior, the real power in Cuba will remain in the Castro clan. A transition to democracy is not on their agenda.
She is probably the most independent Congressperson in Washington. She comes from a SUPER safe district, is married to a very wealthy man and is the former House Speaker with no aspirations for higher office. They don’t come any more independent than that.
Being on the same page is scant motivation but I will tell you that NO thinking Cubans believe Diaz-Canel will succeed Raulito. He is a PLACEHOLDER. The next President of Cuba must be approved by the military oligarchy and Diaz-Canel is not from that side of the field. Where we do agree is that Cubans do indeed deserve the chance to have open multiparty elections without foreign interference. But it would appear that even here. somehow by chance or maybe magic, the dictatorship will simply go away. There is no historical support for this notion. Dictatorships hold on to power for as long as they can and are supplanted by force. Finally, there is NO reason to believe that Miami will dictate policy in a democratic Cuba. On the contrary, once free, it is more likely that ‘Miami’ will repatriate itself to Cuba. In that case, it will be Cuba (formerly of Miami) doing the dictating.
Moses, your obsession with Castro obscures your vision of democracy and Cuba, in my opinion. I assume, 55 years from now, that obsession will be passed along to another generation, many decades after the last Castro has ruled Cuba. At age 83 and 88, with the latter extremely ill this month and the former very tired, the obsession with the Castros will persist, I reckon, as a cornerstone of their legacy because, after all, generations of Cuban exiles will be around to hurl grenades at the island while hiding behind the skirts of the neighboring superpower. While American voters seem poised for another Bush vs. Clinton presidential campaign, the next leader of Cuba will not be related to the Castros. 54-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, and is not likely to defect to Miami. According to Reuters, the BCC, and the Guardian, Diaz-Canel is well-liked by everyday Cubans on the island. Cubans on the island, left to their own devices without a multitude of foreign influences, will probably go from Diaz-Canel to democracy in short order. However, that will not likely prevail for another 55 years if their sovereignty is usurped by foreigners. I don’t know, Moses, when you last visited the island but my impression of the logical Castro, Diaz-Canel, and democracy progression was shaped when I visited the island and made it a point to spend my time with everyday Cubans. However, I assume the process of vilifying Miguel Diaz-Canel is already well underway. After all, gravy trains are hard to deter once they have built up a lot of steam. I’m a democracy-lover who believes Cubans on the island deserve the chance, without being eternally punished and without foreign interference, to democratize their island. When I was there I found many Cubans who remembered the 1950s when the U. S. teamed with the Mafia to support the vile, thieving Batista dictatorship. Would that happen again if a few exiles and their sycophants continue dictating America’s Cuban policy? If you can answer that question, Moses, we might get on the same page.
Can nancy Pelosi make any decisions or does she have to report back and seek permission?
I think she was aware. Her advance team is quite competent. I also thinks she cares but not enough to make other arrangements. I believe that the Dems are building a ‘Honey Trap’. Once the Castros are on the line and hooked, the US will ask for something simple. Free press or something that will seem simple to the world but cause aneurisms in Cuba. At that point, the Castros back out and Obama’s legacy as the one who opened the door to Cuba remains intact. Then again, maybe I’m dreaming, and these guys have lost their freakin’ minds.
Do you think Pelosi was even aware of the fact that the hotel she stayed at in Havana, the Saratoga, was confiscated by the Castro regime from the British corporation Coral Capital Group? Coral Capital had invested $75 million in fixing up the old dump. When the renovations were complete, the Castros moved in, took over the hotel and chucked the two senior executives, Amado Fahkre and Stephen Purvis, into the Villa Marista prison.
I doubt Pelosi was even aware of that, much less does she care. She’s there to promote Californian business opportunities, and pick up a case of forbidden cigars to impress her wealthy friends back home. Period.
If you think she’s going to fight for human rights in Cuba, you might want to ask her why she didn’t even answer the Ladies in White who requested a meeting.
The Castros are dumping their socialist ideology, but democracy is not in the cards for Cuba.
Congresswoman Pelosi represents my congressional district. I am very familiar with her politics and have followed her career since she was elected to Congress in 1987. She is a savvy politician and more than up to the task to go toe to toe with the likes of Bruno Rodriguez and his Castro puppetmaster. I have no doubt their meeting went smoothly with thinly-veiled remarks regarding national interests and long-term goals. In the end, Castro communism will fall and democracy will come to Cuba. Of this I have no doubt.