Castro and Obama agree to disagree on human rights, freedom
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 1:47 pm
Well that's kinda awkward.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/c ... uba-221051
For the first time in nearly nine decades, the leaders of Cuba and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder in Havana on Monday. Despite being separated by just 90 miles, the two countries tried to bridge the decades. But they didn't quite get there.
Instead, Cuban President Ra�l Castro opened a joint news conference with President Barack Obama with a laundry list of why his country and the United States would never see eye to eye.
[...]
Castro also urged the return of "illegally occupied" Guantanamo Bay, later taking shots at the United States' "political manipulation and double standards" with respect to human rights, as well as its lack of universal health care and other social programs for its citizens.
"There are profound differences between our countries that will not go away," Castro said, noting a litany of differences between the two countries on democracy, human rights, global stability and other issues. He also mentioned the 2013 journey of American swimmer Diana Nyad, who became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage as a metaphor for normalizing relations.
After roughly 15 minutes, Castro concluded his remarks and Obama began by proclaiming it a "nuevo dia" for both countries. He also deviated briefly to pay tribute to Temecula, California, Marine Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin, who was killed in action fighting in Iraq last week.