[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
[May 20, 2002]
[Pages 825-829]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks on the 100th Anniversary of Cuban Independence in Miami, Florida
May 20, 2002
The President. Thank you very much. Sientense. Voy a hablar en
Espanol hoy, pero no. No. [Laughter] No quiero destruir un idioma que
bonita, y por eso voy a hablar en Ingles. [Laughter] Thank you for
having me. God bless you all, and thanks for coming. It is such an
honor--it is such an honor--for me to be here today with so many who
love freedom.
One hundred years ago, a proud island people declared independence
and put Cuba on a democratic course. We're here today to celebrate this
important anniversary. We are here today to honor the Cubans and Cuban
Americans who strengthen America with their character and with their
enterprise. We are here today--we are here today to proclaim loudly and
clearly to the entire world--to todos--that the Cuban people's love of
liberty cannot and will not be denied.
Audience members. [Inaudible]
The President. Not only today will we remind the world how much we
love freedom and long for freedom, but I also want to talk about a
proposal and a challenge that will help put Cuba on the path to freedom.
I want to thank mi hermano--mi hermanito--
[laughter]--y el gran Gobernador de este estado. Thank you, Jeb. We love
you y mi cunada bella. [Laughter] I love being
with my family. I love being with my family. There's nothing more
important than family in life, and I love my brother Jeb a lot.
I'm honored to be with a great American, a great American who is a
graduate of Pedro Pan, Mel Martinez, who
brings a big difference in our Cabinet. [Applause] I didn't realize Mel
had that many cousins. [Laughter]
I want to thank the two United States Senators from Florida for
being here, Senator Graham and Senator
Nelson. I'm honored that you're here. Thank you
all for coming. I appreciate working with Senator Graham and his
important job of chairing the Intelligence Committee in the United
States Senate. I want to thank two fine Congressmen, Ileana Ros y Lincoln Diaz-Balart.
I can't--listen, every time I see and hear Gloria Estefan sing, it makes my heart feel better. Gloria, thank
you, and it's good to see Emilio. And I
appreciate Jon Secada
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as well. Jon, you did a great job. Thank you very much--honored you're
here.
I appreciate Vicki Huddleston, our
Ambassador, Principal Officer at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana,
for being here. Vicki, thank you for coming--appreciate you. I'm honored
to be traveling today with Otto Reich, the Under
Secretary for the State Department. Dr. Elsa Murano is here today as well, who is in my administration. Thank
you, Elsa, for being here. Where are you? Thank you, Doc--appreciate you
coming. Emilio Gonzalez, the Director of the
Western Hemisphere Affairs of the National Security Council--where are
you, Colonel? Yes, Emilio. He's on my National Security Council. He
reports directly to Arroz--[laughter]--Senorita Arroz. [Laughter]
Today, when I landed in Miami, I got off the airplane there and had
a chance to meet a young man named Emilio J. Rodriguez. Emilio is with us today. Emilio, stand up for a
second. [Applause] The reason I bring up Emilio is, I say oftentimes to
Americans who want to--how best they can participate in our country, how
best to fight evil is to do some good, is to love a neighbor like you'd
like to be loved yourself. If you're interested--if you're interested in
helping define our Nation to the world and if you're interested in
resisting evil, do some good. And that's what Emilio does. He is a 19-
year-old honor student at Miami-Dade Community College. He volunteers in
park cleanup programs. He does art shows for children, and he hosts
activities at a school for mentally challenged Cuban American children.
For this, we're grateful for your service. Thank you for being here.
The accomplished individuals I just named are just a small handful
of over a million fellow Americans from Cuban descent who make such an
incredibly important contribution to our country. So, as on the one hand
we--we celebrate independence, but we also celebrate the greatness of
America that opens her doors so that people can realize their dreams.
The success stories are unbelievable and unbelievably powerful. People
have escaped a jail and have come to America and have succeeded and have
been able to raise their families and have been able to prosper. It's a
wonderful part of the American story.
But it's not just a story of the elderly and the older Cuban
Americans; it's a story throughout generations. I want to talk about
Miguel Arguelles, who came to America in
1995, at age 10 years old. At age 10, he couldn't speak English. A few
weeks from now, he'll graduate as the valedictorian of Miami Lakes'
Barbara Goleman Senior High School. He comes in 1995; he is going to be
the first person to have graduated from that high school to attend
Harvard University.
I want to read what Miguel wrote in his
application essay, and I want all Americans from all backgrounds to
listen to what this young man said. He said he was born in a place where
the sun shines brightest and drowns in tears, where Santa Claus has not
the visa to enter and dreams cannot escape their prison of nonexistence,
where hopes are shattered and religion is an endangered species, where
freedom is in shackles.
I love how you put that. It's essential that--Miguel, that you not only succeed, but it's essential that we
remember the shackles of freedom that Miguel wrote about, that there are
people whose lives are being disrupted because Cuba is not free. I want
to thank you for your poignancy.
And the shackles that this young man wrote about are an insult--an
insult--to the Cuban independence dreamed of by Felix Varela and
generations of Cuban patriots. They're an insult. The shackles he wrote
about are an insult to Jose Marti, who sacrificed his life for a great
principle. No, we stand here today to declare loud and clear to the
entire world: Cuba must not only be independent; Cuba must be free.
[[Page 827]]
One hundred years ago, Cuba declared her independence. And nearly 50
years ago, nearly a half century ago, Cuba's independence and the hopes
for democracy were hijacked by a brutal dictator who cares everything
for his own power and nada for the Cuban people. In an era where markets
have brought prosperity and empowerment, this leader clings to a
bankrupt ideology that has brought Cuba's workers and farmers and
families nothing--nothing--but isolation and misery. I was amazed to
read in this modern era, the Cuban regime banned the sale of computers
to the public. What does that tell you? In an era where every other
nation in our hemisphere has chosen the path to democracy--every nation
in our hemisphere has chosen the path to democracy--this leader instead
chooses to jail, to torture, and exile Cuban people for speaking their
minds.
But the amazing thing is, through all the pains--through all the
pains--the Cuban people's aspirations for freedom are undiminished. We
see this today in Havana, where more than 11,000 brave citizens have
petitioned their Government for a referendum on basic freedoms. If that
referendum is allowed, it can be a prelude to real change in Cuba.
This country has no designs on Cuba's sovereignty. We have no
designs on the sovereignty of Cuba. But we'll continue to be a strong
and consistent supporter of the Cuban people's aspirations for freedom.
And nowhere is that support stronger than right here in the streets of
Miami, Florida. The support will never waive here, and it's not going to
waive in my heart, either. For how long it takes--after all, we fight
for freedom here in America. We love freedom. We love what freedom
means. It is the cornerstone of our country, and therefore, we will
never stop in our search for ways to advance freedom in Cuba.
Earlier today, in la Casa Blanca, I announced an initiative for a
new Cuba that offers Cuba's Government a way forward, toward democracy
and hope and better relations with the United States. Cuba is scheduled
to hold elections to its National Assembly in 2003. I challenge Cuba's
Government to make these elections free and to make them fair.
To make them free and fair, they must give opposition candidates the
freedom to organize, assemble, and speak. They must give them the chance
to open up the airwaves, so they can get their message out to the
people. To make them free and fair, they must release all political
prisoners so they can participate in the elections. In order to make
sure we know if they're free and fair, they must let human rights
organizations into Cuba, to make sure that the elections are free and
fair. Once the 2003 elections are certified as free and fair by
international monitors, once Cuba begins the process of meaningful
economic reform, then and only then I will explore ways with the United
States Congress to ease economic sanctions.
For 43 years--for 43 years--every election in Cuba has been a fraud
and a sham. Mr. Castro, once, just once, show
that you're unafraid of a real election. Show the world you respect
Cuba's citizens enough to listen to their voices and to count their
votes. Start to release your chokehold on the working people and on
enterprise. Then and only then will we talk about easing sanctions and
not before.
The goal of the United States, the goal of our policy towards Cuba
is not a permanent embargo on Cuba's economy; our goal is freedom for
Cuba's people. Full normalization of relations with Cuba, diplomatic
recognition, open trade, and a robust aid program will only--only--be
possible when Cuba has a new Government that is fully democratic, when
the rule of law is respected, and when the human rights of all Cubans
are protected.
Under the new initiative for Cuba--under this new Initiative for a
New Cuba, the United States recognizes that freedom sometimes grows step
by step, and we will encourage those steps. You need to know
[[Page 828]]
that I feel so strongly about freedom--I mean, the current of history
runs toward freedom; eventually, it's not going to be denied. And our
plan is to accelerate freedom in Cuba in every way possible. We'll work
to encourage freedom within Cuba by making life better for people living
under and resisting the Castro regime. So, today I want to talk about
some steps we can take, the beginning of some important steps.
My administration will ease restrictions on humanitarian assistance
from legitimate U.S. religious and other nongovernmental organizations
that directly serve the needs of the Cuban people, and to help build a
Cuban civil society. The United States will provide such groups with
direct assistance that can be used for humanitarian and entrepreneurial
activities. Our Government will offer scholarships in the United States
for Cuban students and professionals who are trying to build independent
civil institutions. And we will offer scholarships to the children of
political prisoners. We're willing to negotiate direct mail service
between the United States and Cuba. My administration will also continue
to look for ways to modernize Radio and TV Marti.
These are beginning steps. We'll listen to the leaders in the
community for innovative ways to continue the inevitable march and to
hasten the inevitable march toward freedom.
Mr. Castro must now act. He has his chance.
He's been given an opportunity. We will continue to enforce economic
sanctions and ban the travel to Cuba until Cuba's Government shows real
reform.
Audience members. Cuba si, Castro no! Cuba si, Castro no! Cuba si,
Castro no!
The President. And when we--when I talk about economic reform--when
I talk about economic reform, I mean real economic reform. The
Government must allow for workers to be able to organize in unions
outside of the control of the Government. The Government must respect
private property. Economic reform means the Government must allow
employers to hire who they want to hire, as opposed to those on a
special list. Economic reform means that when workers earn hard
currency, they get to keep the hard currency, as opposed to it going to
the Cuban Government. We know what the Cuban Government's up to. We
trade in hard currency; they pay in pesos and keep the difference. And
therefore, without meaningful reform, trade with Cuba would do nothing
more than line the pockets of Fidel Castro and
his cronies.
Audience members. Cuba si, Castro no! Cuba si, Castro no! Cuba si,
Castro no!
The President. I say reform because we care about the people. We
want to reform--insist upon reform so the people will benefit. We hurt
for the people in Cuba. We long for a day when they realize the same
freedoms we have here in America. I want you to understand that I know
what trade means with a tyrant. It means that we will underwrite
tyranny, and we cannot let that happen. And I also want you to know I
will not allow our taxpayers' money to go to enrich the Castro regime,
and I'm willing to use my veto.
The initiative I've just--the initiative I've outlined today offers
the Cuban Government a way forward, a way towards democracy, a way
towards prosperity, a way towards respect. The choice now rests with Mr.
Castro.
Audience members. Boo-o-o!
The President. If Mr. Castro does not allow
free elections, he will be protecting his cronies at the expense of his
people. And eventually--and eventually--despite all his tools of
oppression, Castro will need to answer to his people.
Ten years before Cuba achieved independence, Jose Marti wrote this:
``If our suffering homeland could see the care with which her absent
children are preparing to serve her, if our homeland could see the
tenderness with which she is loved by her children in exile, the joy of
their faith and her pride at once would give her the strength to break
her chains at last.''
[[Page 829]]
Those words, written a long time ago, apply with equal power today.
The dream of a free and independent Cuba has been deferred, but it can
never be destroyed, and it will not be denied.
For those listening on Radio Marti, it's important for you to know
the United States stands with the Cuban people, not just on Independence
Day but on every day--every day. Every day we stand with those who
reject tyranny and torture and embrace liberty and life. Every day we
stand with the plantados in prison confronting illegitimate power with
righteous truth. Every day we stand with the Cuban families everywhere
seeking a better future. Every day we cultivate ``una rosa blanca'' for
Cuba's freedom.
Thank you all for coming. Viva Cuba libre!
Note: The President spoke at 3:10 p.m. at the James L. Knight Center. In
his remarks, he referred to Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and his wife,
Columba; entertainers Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada; Gloria Estefan's
husband, producer Emilio Estefan, Jr.; Under Secretary of Agriculture
for Food Safety Elsa A. Murano; National Security Adviser Condoleezza
Rice; and President Fidel Castro of Cuba. He also referred to Operation
Pedro Pan, a 1960s immigration program in which thousands of Cuban
children were sent to the United States by their parents. The Office of
the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these
remarks.