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Prominent individuals call on Obama
to change Cuba policy
More
than 40 influential individuals in the United
States, of different political stripes, have written
a letter calling upon President Barack Obama to use
his executive powers to change U.S. policy toward
Cuba.
The
‘open letter’ was signed by Democrats and
Republicans, members of the Cuban-American community
in Miami and former government, as well as military,
senior officials.
Among these were three former State Department
under-secretaries for the Western Hemisphere,
Jeffrey Davidow, Alexander Watson, and Arturo
Valenzuela; as well as three former heads of the
U.S. Interests Section in Havana, Michael Palmry and
Vicki Huddleston.
Also
on the list of signatories were former supreme
Allied Commander of NATO in Europe and commander of
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) James Stavridis;
former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar; former
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solís; as well as David
Rockefeller, honorary president of the Council of
the Americas. The letter asserts that the President
has an “unprecedented opportunity” to promote a
“significant breakthrough” by using his executive
authority “at a time when public opinion on Cuba
leans toward greater interaction with the Cuban
people.”
The
letter notes that Obama could “extend and ensure”
travel to Cuba for “all” U.S. citizens, not just
Cuban Americans or special religious, academic and
cultural groups, as is the case now.
The
letter also encourages the administration to
continue serious talks with Cuban authorities on a
number of topics of mutual interest, such as
national security, migration, drug trafficking and
the environment. (PL)
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