Obama is Right about Cuba, States Republican Senator Heller

HAVANA, Cuba, Jun 28 (acn) President Barack Obama is right, asserted in a press conference in this capital Republican Senator Dean Heller, while referring to U.S. government changes in its policy towards Cuba.

While answering a question to ACN, Heller replied that although he is with a party different from Obama's, when the president is right he supports him, and with regard to the change of policy towards Cuba he is right.
The Republican for Nevada said he could not say if before the end of Obama's term the blockade is going to be lifted, for he only has a few months more as head of state, but the opening of embassies, as well as the elimination of restrictions for U.S. citizens to travel to the Caribbean nation are things that could be achieved before the end of his presidency.
Patrick Leahy, emeritus pro tempore president of the U.S. Senate, pointed out that the blockade has been a mistake of the U.S. policy.
Leahy, who has visited Havana three times since the historic announcement of December 17, admitted that he has seen a new and very positive change in Cuba.
He acknowledged that talking about the possibility that Congress lifts the blockade could take all day, however, he said, he would like to see all restrictions on travel, air traffic and normal trade between the two countries eliminated.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Cardin Senator for Maryland, stressed the importance of making progress in terms of restrictions on travel and trade during the time Obama is still in the presidency. "I think we can," he said.
Democrat Patrick Leahy, Senator for Vermont, who headed the delegation, revealed that there are debates in Congress on the Cuba issue and people opposed to changes, but considered that the position of normalization of relations will win and stressed that most of the U.S. people are in favor of it.
He asserted that 50 years of blockade, with a treatment towards Cuba as an enemy, have achieved nothing and reiterated that this decision was a mistake of his country's policy.
Cardin, leader of Democrats in the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, emphasized that part of the process of strengthening relations between Cuba and the U.S. is to understand the points of view of both countries in terms of human rights and in that sense he could hold exchanges with the Cuban people during his stay.
Heller pondered that if he hadn't met with the people his trip would have been incomplete, and commented on his opportunities of exchanges with business persons, both men and women, who stressed that D17 was a great day for all and believe there will be great opportunities in the future.
I am very happy to be here, confessed the Republican Senator for Nevada; He thanked the people who supported him to make this trip and assessed positively the meeting held with authorities and the possibility of discussing important issues for Cubans and for the U.S. citizens he represents.
On the possibility of opening embassies in July, only Patrick Leahy said he expects it to happen very soon.
He acknowledged he has been coming to the island for the past 15 years and has always had the opportunity to talk with the people, with persons who have lived under the blockade and listen to their experiences.
During their stay, the members of the U.S. Congress were received by Miguel Diaz-Canel, member of the Politburo of the Cuban Communist Party and First Vice-president of the Councils of State and Ministers.
During the meeting, in which Josefina Vidal, director general of the U.S. Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated, they exchanged views on the relations between the two nations and the debate currently taking place in the U.S. Congress on the elimination of restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba and the lifting of the blockade.
The visit takes place after the announcement of presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama on December 17 that has recently brought to Cuba, among others, Republican senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Patrick "Pat" Roberts and Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Amy Klobuchar.
Patrick Leahy is part of a bipartisan coalition of eight senators -Democrats Dick Durbin, Tom Udall and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Republicans Jerry Moran, Mike Enzi, Jeff Flake and John Boozman- which in January introduced a bill to eliminate the banning of trips to Cuba and allow U.S. citizens to come to the Caribbean country as tourists.
The press conference was held at the Saratoga Hotel in Old Havana, in a relaxed atmosphere in which senators joked, as was the case Leahy, who said this may be the first time a congressman gives a press conference in a bar, referring to the place where they met with the press.
The delegation of U.S. Senators arrived in Havana on Thursday night. On Saturday, it visited Santiago de Cuba province, before heading back to its country on Sunday.