    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [March 6, 2007]
    [Pages 244-253]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Foreign Print Journalists
    March 6, 2007

        The President. Thanks for coming. I'm very much looking forward to
    my trip. I believe that a peaceful neighborhood and a prosperous
    neighborhood is in the interest of the United States of America. My trip
    is an opportunity to remind the folks in our neighborhood that the
    United States has a robust policy toward empowering individuals to
    realize their full potential.
        I gave a speech yesterday that I outlined a vision of a nation that
    cares about the human condition. I spoke in terms of dollars being
    spent, but more significantly, I spoke in terms of programs that are
    actually empowering and helping people improve their lives. And that's
    my message. My message is that the United States is a--should be viewed
    as a constructive partner in helping deal with significant issues,
    whether they be the issues of prosperity or education or health.
        I'm really looking forward to going down and visiting with the
    respective leaders with whom I'll be meeting. These are men I respect.
    These are people whose opinions matter. And I'm confident we'll have a
    good trip.
        And with that, we'll go around the room and answer questions, and
    then I've got to go give a speech to the American Legion, and you're
    welcome to come and listen to it if you'd like to. Are you going to
    listen to it, Holland [Steve Holland, Reuters]?
        Q. Yes, sir.
        The President. That's good.
        Q. Absolutely.
        The President. Will you cover it objectively? Of course you will;
    what am I thinking. [Laughter]
        Do you want to start? Jose, where are you from?
        Q. Mexico.
        The President. So are you from Brazil?
        Q. Yes.
        The President. We'll go this way--this is the order of the trip:
    Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala, y Mexico. Thank you, Patricia.
        Q. So I start, right?
        The President. Please.

    Brazil-U.S. Relations/Alternative Fuel Sources

        Q. Mr. President, my first question is, I would like to know, what
    is the importance of the development of this new ethanol market,
    regional market, in political and economical terms? And how is that
    going to strengthen U.S.-Brazil relations?
        The President. First, U.S.-Brazilian relations are strong. I can
    remember my first visit with President Lula. He wasn't sure what to expect when he came to the Oval
    Office, and frankly, I wasn't sure what to expect when he came. You
    know, people have reputations that precede them in life. And yet, after
    we spent a brief period of time, we both came to realize, we share the
    same concerns, particularly for the poor, and we both represent big,
    influential nations; and that we can work together to achieve common
    objectives.
        And one such objective is human rights and rule of law, a civil
    society that empowers individuals; that we believe government ought to
    respond to people and that people ought to have the ultimate say in the
    fate of government. And those were common principles. We came from
    different political directions--I readily concede--but nevertheless,
    when we listened carefully, we found common ground. And that puts us in
    a position where we can work in practical ways to address significant
    problems.
        One such problem is trade, and President Lula and I will spend time on the Doha round to determine
    whether or not we're able to advance Doha in a constructive way that
    benefits our nations and, equally importantly, the world's poor. The

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    best way to alleviate poverty is for there to be prosperity, and one way
    to enhance prosperity is through a world that trades freely and fairly.
        The other area--another area of common ground is changing our energy
    uses. My last trip to Brazil, I was briefed extensively on Brazil's
    capacity to use its raw materials to develop a vast ethanol industry.
    And I was impressed by the progress Brazil has made. It reminded me of--
    the progress Brazil has made has reminded me of the vast potential that
    agricultural can make on the energy front.
        So I now return to Brazil with a robust domestic agenda on ethanol.
    We had already had an agenda on ethanol, but it's now even more robust
    as a result of a mandatory fuel standard I laid out that said, the
    United States will be consuming about 35 billion gallons of ethanol.
        The political implications of that, at least for the United States,
    are profound, in that we become less dependent on oil, which is good for
    our national security, as well as it helps us be good stewards of the
    environment. I happen to believe that the United States and Brazil can
    work together to, for example, share technologies with others in the
    region, which will help them become less dependent on oil. And that's
    important, because dependency on oil exposes economies to the whims of
    the marketplace.
        As China's demand for oil continues, if there's not a corresponding
    increase in international supply, what happens in China affects the
    ability of someone in Latin America to be able to keep more money--in
    other words, the gas prices go up. There is a direct correlation. And we
    live in a global economy, in which global economics--I mean, live in a
    global world in which global economics affects the lives of a lot of
    people in our neighborhood. And so becoming less dependent on oil will
    enhance the economic security of the region, and that's important
    because prosperity in the region is important for the United States. We
    want our friends and neighbors to be prosperous.
        Anyway, thank you. Daniel.

    Uruguay-U.S. Free Trade Agreement

        Q. Recently, Uruguay and the United States signed a framework
    agreement on trade and investments. Now, how far do you think the United
    States and Uruguay can advance towards a free trade agreement? And
    taking into account that in the Uruguayan Government there are differing
    opinions on this subject and our President, a few days ago in a speech
    in reference to your trip, he said--he defined his Government as
    antiimperialist----
        The President. As antiimperialist? Fine, that's--I would hope he
    would define my Government as profreedom. But back to the free trade
    issue. I think that--first of all, there are countervailing pressures in
    my own Government. People shouldn't take for granted that the United
    States wants to have trade agreements. As a matter of fact, there's a
    strong protectionist sentiment in America. I strongly resist those
    temptations. It's in our interests to be a nation which treats others
    the same way we want to be treated in the marketplace. Again, I repeat:
    I know it's in the interest of the poor to have markets open for their
    products.
        And so I will go to Uruguay as a strong defender of trade. I fully
    understand there are local sensitivities. I fully understand that there
    are pressures on leaders regarding trade and that sometimes, it takes a
    period of time for people to get comfortable with different types of
    trading agreements. And therefore, I will make my case about why I hope
    we can continue what has been a constructive relationship with Uruguay
    without pressing the case beyond that, which is politically possible.
        And again, I will assure the President that I will be--we want to listen to concerns, we will
    work closely as friends. And I will remind him that here at home, it's
    not an easy sell, necessarily, and that if he believes trade is in the
    interests of his

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    country and I believe it's in mine, we've both got to work
    constructively to achieve common objectives.
        As to characterizations of the United States, I will remind him that
    we are a generous, compassionate nation that believes in peace. And that
    on the one hand, we'll protect ourselves from attacks that I'm convinced
    the enemy wants to launch on America again. It's my most solemn duty.
    But at the same time, I'll remind him that the advance of liberty, the
    advance of human rights and human dignity is in our national interests.
        Anyway, I'm looking forward to the trip. It's going to be--I'm told
    it's a beautiful country. I've never been to Uruguay, and I'm looking
    forward to it.
        Carlos.

    Colombian Government/Plan Colombia II

        Q. Thank you, Mr. President, for the invitation.
        The President. Por nada.
        Q. Por la invitacion.
        The President. Si. Por nada.
        Q. Thank you. In the last few months, Colombia has been shocked by
    scandal of possible links between paramilitary groups, which are
    terrorist organizations, and members of Congress as well as public
    officials. Given the fact that until now only close allies and
    collaborators of President Alvaro Uribe have been involved in this
    scandal, can this scandal affect the support that your Government is
    giving to the Government of Colombia?
        The President. President Uribe has
    made it very clear that he is going to--he promotes and expects there to
    be a full investigation of any allegations. And as a result of
    strengthening the prosecutorial offices, he has sent a signal that if,
    in fact, there are allegations that are worthy of further investigation
    and the facts lead to prosecution, he will fully prosecute. And to me,
    that gives me great comfort in seeing his strong leadership. And I
    believe that that leadership will stand him in good stead with our
    Congress.
        The budget I've submitted is one that's a little less than last year
    but, nevertheless, is a strong commitment to a Plan Colombia II. One of
    the reasons why the budget is a little less than last year is, it goes
    to show the progress that Colombia is making. In my judgment, President
    Uribe has done a fabulous job for leading
    that country. He's been very strong and very resolute, and it's an
    impressive record. Secondly, the economy is improving, as you know, and
    therefore, Colombia can carry more of the load of II. But nevertheless,
    the commitment is a significant commitment, and I will work very hard
    with Congress to get that commitment passed in the budget.
        Eduardo.

    Narcotics and Drug Trafficking/Crime Prevention

        Q. Hi, Mr. President, thank you very much.
        The President. How are you? Thanks for coming.
        Q. Mr. President, a lot of people in Guatemala and in Central
    America is worried about the violence that might be generated by
    organized crime, gangs, and drug trafficking. How severe would you say
    this problem is? And how the Government of the United States can work
    together with Guatemala and the other Central American countries to
    fight this problem?
        The President. Well, that's a common issue that we have with our
    very important friend to the south. It is an issue that concerns both
    Mexico and the United States. The issue of crime in Central America
    concerns both Mexico and the United States because, oftentimes, that
    crime can be exported into either country.
        My attitude is that the United States can help provide Justice
    Department and information sharing--Justice Department collaboration
    with their respective people in government.

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        In terms of narcotrafficking, the first thing the United States can
    do is convince our people to stop using drugs. If there's a demand,
    inevitably there will be a supply, so we have an obligation here at home
    to work to reduce drug usage. If people don't find a better market--if
    people don't find a healthy market, there will be less pressure to
    produce drugs.
        Secondly, we can enforce our borders and make it harder for drug
    dealers to be able to get their drugs to market. One way to better
    enforce our borders, besides stepping up presence on our border, is to
    pass a comprehensive immigration bill in the Congress, one that says
    that the person coming to do work that Americans aren't doing doesn't
    have to sneak across the border, thereby enabling our Border Patrol to
    be able to focus on narcotrafficking. In other words, you can raise the
    cost of getting drugs into our country by making it harder for them to
    penetrate our borders.
        Thirdly, we can work internally with governments, and do. We do a
    lot of bilateral work. I don't want to jump to--I'm not going to jump to
    the next country, but one perfect example is the cooperation and
    collaboration between Mexico and the United States on helping each other
    with information sharing.
        Fourthly, we have got Central American gangs in the United States,
    that as we find and arrest, we can share information we learn from them
    with the host government. So there's a lot of collaboration efforts.
        The best way, however, to ultimately deal with crime, besides
    reducing the demand for their product, is to enhance prosperity. And
    that's why CAFTA is an important agreement. We would rather people try
    to make a living honestly. And therefore, there needs to be hope; there
    needs to be the possibility of that honest living to be able to be made
    so that youngsters don't turn--feel they have to turn to crime.
        And finally, a social program, social justice programs, like
    education; the United States spends a lot of money in Latin America on
    education programs, programs aimed at either training teachers to teach
    and/or direct aid to education programs throughout our hemisphere. An
    educated child is one that will have a hopeful future, and therefore,
    less likely to be recruited into a criminal gang.
        Hombre.

    Mexico-U.S. Border Issues/Immigration Reform

        Q. Gracias.
        The President. Si.
        Q. Thank you, Mr. President.
        The President. Si.
        Q. Again, thank you for the invitation. And my question goes in the
    same sense as my friend Eduardo.
        The President. I thought so. I thought it might. [Laughter]
        Q. Yes, as you know, President Calderon has positioned himself at
    the forefront in the war against drugs, and especially on violence that
    derives from drug trafficking. What do you think should be Mr.
    Calderon's next step? And would his efforts now motivate the U.S. to be
    more conscious in stopping illegal weapons crossing the border, north to
    south?
        The President. It's a very interesting question. Mexico is rightly
    concerned that there are traffickers taking contraband from our country
    into Mexico. Just like we're concerned that there are traffickers
    bringing humans and/or drugs from south to north, which means that we
    have got to commit ourselves to rational border policy that will work.
        I'll repeat what I said earlier about comprehensive immigration
    reform: I'm a strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. I
    believe strongly that a comprehensive bill will make it easier to focus
    on drugs and guns if people don't feel like they've got to sneak into
    the United States.
        Secondly, such a bill will enable us to--it will help us dismantle
    an industry that has sprung up that uses human beings as

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    product, as chattel. And that's unacceptable to this country. Now the
    incentive is for people who want to do work that Americans aren't doing,
    is to pay money to be stuffed in the back of an 18-wheeler, for example,
    and driven across and ducked out in the desert, where they hope somebody
    will come and rescue them and take them to a motel or a house where they
    have to rent, and then they finally work their way toward work. The
    industry that has sprung up as a result of the current immigration law
    is inhumane, and it doesn't reflect the values of the United States.
        So to answer your question about drugs moving one way and guns
    moving the other, immigration reform will help. It will mean that the
    people and assets we have on the border can be focused on precisely that
    which you're concerned about.
        Now, as to President Calderon's next steps, that's up to him, and one purpose of my
    visit is to listen to his strategy. It's a Mexican strategy. I have
    confidence that this man, elected by the people, will devise a strategy
    that is best for Mexico. And the role of the United States is not to
    devise a strategy but is to listen very carefully as to how we can help
    implement that strategy, and part of my visit is to be a listener and a
    partner.
        And I appreciate the strong stance that President Calderon has taken. He has shown courage
    because he is committing the stake to take on some very powerful, very
    rich, and very lethal people. And that takes courage, and I admire
    courage when it comes to leaders in public office.
        Patricia.
        We'll go one more round, then I've got to go give a speech, which
    Holland says he's going to go listen to. [Laughter]

    President's Upcoming Visit to Central and South America/U.S. Foreign Aid

        Q. There's a perception that one of the objectives of your trip is
    to strengthen relations with the countries that are U.S. friends. So my
    question is, what do you think of the rise of this so-called alternative
    development model, championed by President Chavez, that calls for
    nationalization, greater government intervention? And what is Brazil's
    role in the region, taking that new development model into account?
        The President. Each leader is going to have to adopt a governing
    style and an economic model that they believe yields to prosperity for
    their people. I strongly believe that government-run industry is
    inefficient and will lead to more poverty. I believe if the state tries
    to run the economy, it will enhance poverty and reduce opportunity. So
    the United States brings a message of open markets and open government
    to the region.
        My trip is to remind the people of Central and South America that we
    live in the same neighborhood and that the United States is committed to
    empowering individuals to realize their God-given potential.
        I would like to cite some statistics for you, just to help prove my
    case. Since I have been the President, the line item for traditional
    bilateral aid has doubled, from about $800 million a year to $1.6
    billion for the region. And that's a total, when you total all up the
    money that is spent, because of the generosity of our taxpayers, that's
    $8.5 billion to programs that promote social justice, for example,
    promote education and health.
        The reason I bring that up, it's very important for me to remind our
    own people as to why it's important to continue to be generous in our
    neighborhood. If you're interested in peace, then you've got to be
    interested in prosperity and hope. Our programs are aimed at encouraging
    hope.
        Secondly, there's about--make sure I get this right, here--there's
    about $350 billion of direct foreign investment in the region. Now
    that's important because investment yields jobs. And wise economic
    policy recognizes that investment can help improve the lives of the
    worker or the person who's anxious to make a living.

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        In my speech yesterday, I pointed out the fact that, by far, the
    vast majority of people in our neighborhood are really hard-working,
    decent, family-oriented people who just need a chance. And a direct
    foreign investment--that means somebody believing that the investment
    climate is worthy of investment--helps that working person, that hard-
    working person find employment.
        And so our presence in the region is sometimes very quiet, but very
    effective. And one part of--main purpose of the trip is to tell people
    that we take the region and its problems very seriously and have got a
    good record.
        And we'll let others make their case as to how best to proceed.
    We'll let others come and explain why their point of view makes sense.
    All I can tell you is that I believe that the system of government and
    the system of economies that we promote is fair.
        Now, I fully recognize that until people actually feel progress in
    their pocketbook, that there's going to be frustrations with forms of
    government. But that doesn't mean you kind of revert to something that I
    don't believe will work. It does mean you've got to make sure that the
    aid and the progress that you're making actually helps.
        Daniel.

    Central and South America-U.S. Relations

        Q. I'm going to do a followup on that question----
        The President. Okay. Sure.
        Q. For example, we, in Uruguay, we are seeing President Chavez's
    policy of financial agreements and commercial agreements on investments.
    And he's also going to Argentina on the same day that you are going to
    Uruguay, and he's even holding a street rally in Buenos Aires on that
    same day. I want to know how you view this----
        The President. Look, I dare--I go a lot of places, and there are
    street rallies. And my attitude is, I love freedom and the right for
    people to express themselves. I bring a message of good will to Uruguay
    and to the region. My trip is one that says, let's find ways to work
    together for the common good. And the United States has got a strong
    record of helping people, and I'm really proud of it.
        And it is very important for the American people to hear firsthand
    our concerns about our neighborhood in order for them to continue to
    support programs, such as the Millennium Challenge Account, which is an
    $855 million program, and encouraging good governance in the region or
    the education for the--we've got a new teacher initiative we've laid
    out, and we believe by, I think it's 2008, we'll have trained 20,000
    teachers.
        There are a lot of--you've got to understand that in a country where
    there are isolationist tendencies, where people sometimes say, ``It's
    not our problem,'' that the President has got to be constantly reminding
    people that poverty in our neighborhood is our problem. So the trip
    gives me an opportunity to highlight successes and to point out
    challenges so that the American people stay engaged.
        One of the great assets in our country is the fact that there are
    compassionate people that are willing to go into parts of the world
    where there's desperation and poverty, you know, our faith-based
    programs, for example. I'm not sure to the extent to which they've gone
    to Uruguay, but I know in Guatemala, there is an extensive program to
    help poor workers find market access so they can make a living. I'm
    going to visit one such program.
        Our military--people think of the United States military as war
    fighters, and they are when the Commander in Chief puts them in such a
    situation, but our military is building health clinics throughout
    Central America, for example, in a very quiet way. And my trip will help
    herald some of the programs we're doing. One, we're trying to convince
    the American people it's worth

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    it; and secondly, reminding our neighbors that we care.
        Carlos.

    Colombia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement

        Q. Mr. President, in Colombia, there are growing concerns about two
    initiatives that the U.S. Congress is now considering. One is the free
    trade agreement with Colombia, and the aid package for 2008. Democrats
    in Congress have already raised some objections about labor, ecological,
    and human rights issues concerning the FTA. In the case of the aid
    package, some people in your administration have said that Colombia
    should assume more costs of Plan Colombia in the future. Also, Democrats
    are already talking about reducing the aid.
        What will your administration do to increase the possibility for the
    approval of the FTA? And should Colombia expect to have a reduction in
    the aid it receives in the years to come?
        The President. First, I will defend our budget strongly, that we've
    submitted to Congress, which, as I described earlier, does have a
    reduction, but only because we think Colombia is more capable of funding
    certain aspects of the program. But nevertheless, it is a robust
    program. And I look forward to telling President Uribe that he can count on the United States defending that
    which we sent up to Congress. That's what we believe is the right
    number, and we will vigorously defend the number.
        Free trade with Colombia and Peru are coming up for votes. And like
    all free trade agreements, we will battle for their passage. Now,
    obviously, to the extent that we could--and by the way, the
    President has been here working hard,
    been making phone calls. But these are tough votes. And the reason I
    mention these tough votes, again, is that people shouldn't take access
    to the U.S. market for granted. I mean, the CAFTA vote was a tough vote,
    and we worked hard, along with the leaders. And this will be a tough
    vote; I don't want to send any other signal but that. On the other hand,
    it's an important vote. And we want to--and I call upon Democrats to
    understand the consequences of this vote--and Republicans. Members of
    Congress have got to understand that when we negotiate in good faith a
    free trade agreement that the--they need to understand the consequences
    of not supporting it.
        And so I'm--this will not be my first trade battle, nor will it be
    my last, hopefully--but it's going to be a battle. And we look forward
    to working with the Government to get it passed.
        Eduardo.

    Trade/Prosperity in the Americas

        Q. Mr. President, so far, what's your evaluation of the impact of
    the free trade with Central America? And what do you expect in the
    medium and long term to be delivered by the CAFTA? And how the countries
    of Central America and the United States can work together to improve or
    to make it better, the trade between countries?
        The President. There are great expectations when trade agreements
    get signed that all of the sudden, there's going to be instant
    prosperity. But that's not the way it works. Economies develop. And I
    fully understand that in parts of Central America, when people heard
    that U.S. markets were open and the CAFTA markets were open that there
    would be--people say, well, we've done this to increase prosperity. And
    so there's--I'm sure there's some expectations that have not been met.
        Part of my messaging in Central America will be that opening markets
    is the first step toward more prosperity. Now, I'm going to go to a
    program, Labradores Mayas, that is a great example of what is possible
    for an indigenous farmer that was scratching out a living, ends up kind
    of establishing a co-op, goes and gets a loan, which, by the way, is an
    essential part of our program, and that is to provide microloans to
    people to be able to begin

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    to realize dreams. And it works. It's actually a very effective program.
        This was one such program. It was what, a micro thing, but
    nevertheless, the co-op was able to then develop an irrigation system,
    which then made their production of high-specialty crops more efficient.
    I can't wait to see this. The one reason I go is to herald what is
    possible. It is a reminder that the United States approach to the region
    is not a political approach, but it is a human approach. It is one that
    emphasizes that human potential exists and that the best programs are
    those that elevate the potential.
        So I will try to help deal with expectations, Eduardo, about how
    markets evolve. And one way for me to do so is to remind people about
    the effects of NAFTA with our important neighbor to the south, Mexico.
        When I grew up in Texas, the border, la frontera, was like a third
    world on both sides of the border. And then in the early nineties, NAFTA
    was passed. But there wasn't instant successes. It took awhile for
    people to realize how the inevitable adjustments that will come when
    people start accessing market. And if you were to go down to the border
    today, you'd be stunned at the prosperity on both sides of the border
    because of trade.
        And yet today, obviously, it's 2007, and this is 16 years later.
    Now, when I was the Governor of Texas--I was elected--I was sworn-in in
    '95--we were beginning to see the benefits of the NAFTA trade on the
    border. But it took awhile. And I understand if you're poor, it's hard
    to be patient. I fully understand that. And so there's a natural tension
    between the expectations of prosperity and the need to scratch out a
    living.
        To answer your question, in the long run, what ends up happening is,
    again, I think the Mexican model is good to look at, because we're
    constantly dealing with trade disputes. There will be the argument over
    the--whatever. Since I've been President, we've dealt with Mexico on a
    variety of fronts, like, I think tomatoes or corn, whatever--avocados,
    exactly, por cierto--cement. There's a constant need to evaluate the
    trade agreements and to deal with the natural tensions that grow up.
    It's not easy to have a trading relationship, but it's a lot more
    hopeful than not having a trading relationship, is my view.
        And that's why my discussions with President Lula on the Doha round are going to be very important.
    Brazil is a major player in the international community. And the Doha
    round, in my judgment, is a vital round that we would like to see
    progress, because I'd repeat to you that a system that trades fairly and
    a system with more open markets is one that allows people to more likely
    rise out of poverty. A successful round of Doha is by far the most
    effective poverty-alleviating program in the world.
        Anyway. The final question. Jose.

    Energy

        Q. Mr. President, from your past experience----
        The President. Joe.
        Q. Gracias.
        The President. Jorge. Jorge W. [Laughter]
        Q. From your past experience in the energy sector, you know that
    Mexico and Canada are strategic partners for the U.S.--through the
    subject of energy. And what benefits do you think that Mexico will get,
    and also its neighbors, from a position of opening its energy sector to
    private investment?
        The President. Jose was right that our biggest suppliers of energy
    are Canada and Mexico, and that's good. I'd much rather be getting
    energy from stable sources that are friendly than from sources that are
    unstable and not friendly. And since we import about 60 percent of our
    crude oil from overseas, we are obviously dependent upon stability, one
    reason why, Jose, that it's important for us to work with countries to
    help develop a more robust ethanol and

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    biofuels industry. And I believe it's coming. However, having said that,
    we're still going to require oil. And to the extent that Mexico makes
    the decision internally to be able to attract enough capital to expand
    to keep up with world demand, that would be positive. But most of all,
    it would be positive for Mexico.
        Mexico has got a valuable asset in its energy sector. The demand for
    that energy is significant; however, the exploitation of that energy
    requires significant investment. It requires investment to keep their
    sector--the current sector modernized, and as you all know, that as
    Mexico continues to expand its production in deeper waters in the Gulf
    of Mexico, that requires even more capital investment. So to the extent
    that the Government feels comfortable being able to track sources of
    capital outside of the Government cashflow, to me that would be
    something that certainly ought to be considered by President
    Calderon.
        And we're fortunate that Canada and Mexico are vibrant energy
    producers.
        Okay? Looking forward to the trip.

    Cuba

        Q. A final one on Castro?
        The President. On Castro? Sure. Sure.
    The universal Castro question? [Laughter] Can you come up with a unified
    question?
        Q. What role can the countries of Latin America, like Brazil, like
    other partners in Latin America, can play in the Cuban transition to
    democracy?
        The President. The message, in my judgment, to the world during a
    transition period, is freedom--that we ought to expect that the Cuban
    people have the right to express themselves openly without fear of
    reprisal, to be able to express themselves at the ballot box, and to be
    able to realize potential as a result of an open economy.
        What I hope happens is that we together insist that transition
    doesn't mean transition from one figure to another, but transition means
    from one type of government to a different type of government, based
    upon the will of the people. That will certainly be the position of the
    United States. We believe the Cuban people ought to make the decision
    for the future. We believe it ought to be up to the people, the long-
    suffering people of that island to decide their fate, not the fate--not
    to be decided because somebody is
    somebody's brother; the fate ought to be
    decided because that's what the people want.
        And I would hope those who have lived under the blessings of liberty
    have the same message. Vamos a ver, cuando--how long he stays on Earth, that's a decision that will be made by
    the Almighty. But once that happens, once--you know, Fidel Castro may
    live--I don't know; I don't know how long he's going to live--but
    nevertheless, I do believe that the system of government that he's
    imposed upon the people ought not live, if that's what the people
    decide.
        Okay. Gracias.

    Note: The interview was taped at 9:03 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, the President referred to President Luiz
    Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil; President Tabare Vazquez of Uruguay;
    President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia; President Felipe de Jesus
    Calderon Hinojosa of Mexico; and President Fidel Castro Ruz and First
    Vice President Raul Castro Ruz of Cuba. A reporter referred to President
    Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela. The transcript was released by the
    Office of the Press Secretary on March 7. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this interview.
    A tape was not available for verification of the content of this
    interview.

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