Obama wants American dollars in Castros’ pockets: Sen. Cruz
Potential US presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz has attacked President Barack Obama for meeting with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro in order to restore relations with the country.
“This president has shown he is willing to do what nine previous presidents of both parties would not: cave to a communist dictator in our own hemisphere,” Cruz said in a statement on Saturday.
The Republican senator also called on Obama not to lift Washington’s decades-long embargo against the country.
In order to remove the embargo, the United States must demand “significant concessions” from the Cuban government, Cruz said.
“We have no assurance that the Castros will take real action to improve the lives of their impoverished and oppressed citizens,” he said. “American dollars will flow exclusively into the Castros’ pockets while the Cuban people continue to suffer.”
Saturday’s meeting between Obama and Castro was the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries since 1956.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Panama City amid the Obama administration’s efforts to restore ties with the Latin American country.
Obama thanked Castro for his "spirit of openness and courtesy" during their talks, while Castro emphasized that the bilateral negotiations will require patience.
“Over time, it is possible for us to turn the page and develop a new relationship between our two countries,” the US president said.
The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and placed an official embargo against the country in 1962.
The two countries became ideological foes soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power and their ties remained hostile even after the end of the Cold War.
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