[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 41 (Monday, October 20, 2008)]
[Page 1335]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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. This item was not received in time for 
publication in the appropriate issue.