    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [October 10, 2008]
    [Pages 1296-1297]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Cuban American Community Leaders in
    Coral Gables, Florida
    October 10, 2008

        I have been privileged to know many around this table for nearly 8
    years, as I've been President. I got to know them when I was campaigning
    for President. My little brother introduced me to
    these Cuban Americans with whom I work with one goal in mind, and that
    is the freedom of Cuba.
        The policies we have in place are all aimed at giving the people in
    Cuba a chance to worship freely and to speak freely and to go in the
    public square and express themselves without fear of repression. And so
    I want to thank you all for your friendship during these years. And my
    encouragement is, of course, to continue to stand strong for the dignity
    of the people in Cuba.
        You know, our Government has been very clear about our strategy, and
    that is, is that we will change the embargo strategy only when the
    Government of Cuba lets the people of Cuba express themselves freely. We
    will change our policy when the people running Cuba free people of
    conscience from the prisons. But until then, we won't change, because
    our message is to the Cuban people: You're being repressed by a handful
    of elites that are holding back your great potential. And we will not
    put policies in place that allow them to benefit personally at the
    expense of the Cuban people.
        You know, recently Ike hit Cuba very hard, and all Americans,
    whether they be Cuban Americans or otherwise, grieve deeply about the
    damage done to the average Cuban citizen. And so my Government, under
    the leadership of Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, offered aid from the United States to the Cuban
    people. But that aid was rejected by the
    Castros, which should tell the people of
    Cuba and the

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    people around the world that the Castro people are only interested in
    themselves and their power and not to the benefit and welfare of the
    Cuban people.
        It's so sad that right off the shores of our great, you know, Nation
    that believes in human rights and human dignity exists this dungeon. But
    someday Cuba will be free. Someday the people who are there will realize
    the blessings of freedom, and I want to thank the people around this
    table for working to see that day comes. Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:09 p.m. at Havana Harry's restaurant. In
    his remarks, he referred to former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida; and former
    President Fidel Castro Ruz and President Raul Castro Ruz of Cuba. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of these remarks.