[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1631-E1632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE 52ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 27, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 52nd 
anniversary of the Cuban Revolution on July 26. It was on this day 52 
years ago that Fidel Castro and a band of young men and women initiated 
a revolutionary struggle against the US-backed Batista regime. On this 
day in 1953, Fidel Castro led a small group of rebels in an attack on 
the Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba. While the attack was 
a military failure, it signaled the beginning of the Cuban revolution 
which ultimately succeeded in overthrowing the Batista regime and 
establishing a communist regime led by Fidel Castro which, despite 
enduring hostility of the government of the United States has ruled the 
island for forty-six years.
  Today, as we observe the new familiar pictures of Fidel Castro 
speaking to throngs in Revolutionary Square still in power after all 
these years, we need to examine the role U.S. policy has played in 
keeping him there.
  I have long opposed U.S. policy towards Fidel Castro and Cuba, 
specifically the embargo, as I strongly believe that restricting travel 
and trade is a failed policy that harms the people of Cuba, and works 
against the promotion of democracy on the island. It also denies 
citizens of the United States the fundamental right and freedom to 
travel where they want and now denies Cuban Americans to visit their 
relatives living in Cuba.
  In Cuba today, you will not find a Fidel Castro weakened by our 45-
year embargo, but a Cuban leadership solidified by what can only be 
thought of as bullying tactics by the world's strongest superpower 
against one of our hemisphere's poorest nations which its people 
believe is being made to suffer because of its opposition to the United 
States.
  I believe that the embargo has had the opposite of its intended 
effect. It has actually prolonged Fidel Castro's rule and continues 
today to be effectively used by him to distract the Cuban people from 
the failures of his policies by having them focus upon the embargo as 
the source of the hardships they are enduring. This will not be a happy 
anniversary for the Cuban people because of worsening economic 
conditions and increasing political repression, but Fidel will still 
receive applause when he blames the U.S. embargo.

  Current United States policy toward Cuba is markedly out of touch 
with current world realities. Almost every nation has normal trade and 
diplomatic relations with Cuba, especially those nations in the Western 
Hemisphere.
  Even in the Cuban-American refugee community, whose older members 
remain bitter about Fidel Castro and fiercely opposed to loosening 
sanctions, the younger members are beginning to support U.S. engagement 
with Cuba instead of confrontation. However, under the Bush 
administration the 45-year old embargo, has been further tightened, 
severely limiting travel to Cuba and the transfer of funds to family 
members on the island.
  The new rules permit Cuban Americans to visit the island once every 
three years--and then only if they can get a license to travel from the 
Treasury Department. Additionally the White House has also restricted 
remittances. Under the changes, Americans are permitted to send cash 
only to a Cuban child, parent, sibling or grandparent--but not to 
cousins or nephews.
  If you were to visit Cuba today you will not find people inspired by 
our embargo aimed at

[[Page E1632]]

the removal of Fidel Castro from power, but rather you will find hungry 
families living in unnecessary poverty. In 2005 you will find a large 
constituency of Cuban Americans such as U.S. soldier Sgt. Carlos Lazo, 
who are angered and embittered by U.S. policies that limit visits with 
their family members to only once every three years.
  You will find a Cuban-American constituency angered by the fact that 
in the wake of Hurricane Dennis (a disastrous force that wrecked havoc 
on the island and killed 16) they are powerless to help their family 
members still on the island because of remittance and aid restrictions.
  Cuban people are well known for their strong sense of family values. 
It is therefore an outrage that a group of people who hold family bonds 
in such high esteem are prevented from assisting their families in a 
time of overwhelming need because of outdated and unreasonable U.S. 
policy.
  Today marks the 52nd anniversary of the start of the Cuban-Revolution 
and for 46 years Cuba's government has remained the same. This is 
overwhelming evidence that U.S. policy towards Cuba must be 
reevaluated.
  We should move towards a policy of active engagement with the people 
of Cuba, encouraging travel and visits to the island of all Americans 
who wish to go. The very presence of a significant number of U.S. 
citizens affluent and free will be an opponent to the Castro regime and 
will serve as a contrast that will sharpen the realization of the Cuban 
people of the failure of Communism to provide them with an economic 
system which can get them out of the poverty which afflicts most of the 
Cuban people. Visiting U.S. citizens will inevitably place enormous 
pressure on the Castro regime.
  As it stands our policy toward Cuba is one that severely limits the 
availability of medicine and medical supplies to the Cuban people. It 
is a policy that denies U.S. Citizens the right to travel where they 
choose. It is a policy that prevents Cuban and American diplomats from 
establishing meaningful channels of communication to improve our 
relationship and prevent misunderstandings.

  It is a policy that denies American companies and businesses access 
to an important and potentially enormous new market for American goods, 
services, and ideas. It is a policy that prohibits a country ninety 
miles from our shores from being a partner in our global effort to 
thwart terrorism, to counter drug traffickers, or protect our 
overlapping ecosystems. Most importantly however, it is a policy that 
has proven itself ineffective for more than 40 years.
  The Cuban people are the ones who are suffering and it is time to put 
politics aside and work on developing a new foreign policy standard in 
regards to Cuba. Developing a relationship with Cuba is an important 
foreign policy goal and in order to achieve this goal a new and 
rational approach to relations between our countries is urgently 
needed, based on dialogue, open travel and increased trade.
  I introduce in the Record an article from today's Miami Herald 
reporting on the circumstances in Cuba on the eve of the celebration of 
the 52nd anniversary of the start of the Cuban revolution.

                 [From the Miami Herald, July 26, 2005]

                 Patience Wears Thin on Eve of July 26


Several Cuban dissidents remained in detention as the government scaled 
 back plans for festivities commemorating the start of the revolution.

                         (By Nancy San Martin)

       When Cuban leader Fidel Castro takes to the microphone as 
     expected today to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of an 
     attack that marked the start of his revolution, many on the 
     island will cling to words that promise relief from 
     conditions exhausting the patience of an already exasperated 
     population.
       Human-rights activists on the island have said that 
     ``tempers are flaring'' as the country continues to struggle 
     with extended blackouts and a shortage of food, made worse by 
     Hurricane Dennis.
       Meanwhile, 10 of as many as 33 dissidents arrested last 
     week spent their third day in custody Monday, opposition 
     leaders in Havana reported. They were detained as they tried 
     to participate in an anti-government protest in front of the 
     French Embassy in Havana. And while the European Union joined 
     the United States in condemning the arrests, leaders of the 
     opposition movement on the island began plotting their next 
     move to bring international attention to their plight.
       ``The detentions are completely arbitrary,'' said prominent 
     dissident Martha Beatriz Roque, who was released from custody 
     Saturday without charges. ``We cannot allow the government to 
     continue to treat us this way.''
       ``There must be a response, not only from the opposition 
     but from everybody,'' Roque told The Herald in a telephone 
     interview, declining to reveal whether any new anti-
     government protests were planned in the coming days. However, 
     she hinted they could be organized at a moment's notice.
       ``All I can say is that opposition groups all over the 
     island are on alert,'' Roque said. ``They are waiting for the 
     call to take to the streets. I see the strong possibility of 
     civil unrest.''
       Roque's determination to strike back comes as the 
     government prepares to commemorate the July 26, 1953, assault 
     led by Castro in a failed attempt to seize the Cuban army's 
     Moncada Barracks in the eastern city of Santiago.
       The event planted the seeds of a revolution that brought 
     Castro to power in 1959. The anniversary usually is marked by 
     big public events, but this year's planned celebration 
     appears more subdued.
       Castro is expected to give a speech, but as of late Monday, 
     the location had not been announced. Other events were 
     planned to take place indoors,
       Several opposition leaders said the scaled-back festivities 
     illustrate government fear that widespread discontent could 
     escalate. Human-rights activists in Cuba have said patience 
     is wearing thin as the island continues to struggle with 
     blackouts that can last 12 or more hours a day, spoiling what 
     little food there is in most refrigerators. Several anti-
     government incidents have been reported, and police presence 
     has been boosted.
       Besides the 10 in custody since last week, six others who 
     tried to participate in a separate demonstration July 13 
     remain jailed on ``public disorder'' charges.

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