The strained relations between the United States and Cuba, both presidents made harsh comments
US President Joe Biden called Cuba a “failed state” repressing its citizens and communism a “failed system”
During a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Biden said the United States was looking for ways to possibly regain Internet access in Cuba, but stressed that the United States was not considering allowing remittances to be sent to Cuba again, as is the practice of Americans sending money to his family in Cuba.
He cited concerns that the Cuban government would confiscate those funds as the reason for that.
– Unfortunately, Cuba is a failed state that represses its citizens. There are a number of things we would consider doing to help the people of Cuba, but that would require different circumstances or that there are guarantees that we will not favor the government. For example, the possibility of sending remittances back to Cuba. We would not do that now because the fact is that it is very likely that the current regime will seize those remittances – said Biden.
The Trump administration has economically destroyed Cuba
Since Biden’s inauguration, Cuba’s policy has remained under consideration.
– Communism is a failed system, a universally failed system, and I do not see socialism as a useful replacement. But that’s a different story, ”he said.
Thousands of Cubans took to the streets last weekend to protest systemic food shortages, restrictions on human freedoms and the government’s resolution of the growing coronavirus. These are the biggest protests in Cuba in the last few decades.
During the Obama administration, Cuba welcomed the reopening of embassies and the easing of many restrictions that have existed since the embargo. Still, the Trump administration has enacted some of the toughest economic measures against Cuba in decades, reinstated travel restrictions and named Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism before leaving office.
On Friday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel responded to Biden’s comments by urging him to revoke Trump’s moves.
“If President Joe Biden really had humanitarian concerns for the Cuban people, he would have removed the 243 measures applied by President Donald Trump, including 50 brutally imposed during the pandemic,” Diaz-Canel announced on his official Twitter profile.
The President of Cuba responded sharply to Biden
Demonstrations in Cuba, along with the recent presidential assassination in Haiti, have forced the Biden administration to focus on foreign policy with Caribbean countries. Biden has confirmed that he plans to send U.S. Marines to Haiti to secure the U.S. embassy there, but no additional troops are planned to go to Haiti.
“The United States has failed in its attempts to destroy Cuba, even though those attempts have cost them millions of dollars,” the Cuban president added.
Biden said he was ready to send coronavirus vaccines to Cuba, but they did not join the international coalition COVAX, with which the United States is working closely.