Fidel Praises Lugar’s Pragmatism

By Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES, April 5 — Fidel Castro had words of praise for the pragmatism of Sen. Richard Lugar on Sunday noting that the Republican “is not afraid of being called soft or pro-socialist.”

In a letter to President Obama dated March 30th, Lugar urged him to drop the travel ban on US citizens from visiting Cuba and to send an official emissary to Havana to “begin direct talks with the Cuban government.”

“The Indiana Senator walks with his feat on the ground,” said Fidel Castro in his commentary published in the local media.

“Those capable of calmly analyzing events, such as Senator Lugar, use an irrefutable argument: the sanctions applied by the United States against Cuba for nearly half century are a total failure,” said Castro.

While different bills before the US Congress propose a step back from the open hostility towards Cuba under the Bush administration, Obama will have his chance to set a new tone when he meets with Latin American and Caribbean leaders, except Cuba, at the Americas Summit on April 17-19 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Fidel Castro recalled Sunday, “that no US citizen has died because of a terrorist act perpetrated by Cuba, because such activities would not be tolerated.”

He also mentioned the island’s successful efforts against drug trafficking and on another positive note, “the cooperation on illegal immigration matters between the US and Cuban coast guards for several long years.”

Fidel —who now plays a top advisor role to President Raul Castro— concluded by saying that Cuba “does not fear a dialogue with the United States,” noting, “it’s the only way to achieve peace and friendship between peoples.”