Cuban leader Raúl Castro addressed that nation saying Havana and Washington have held negotiations that resulted in the release of prisoners “without resigning to none of our principles.” At the same time, he renewed that country’s demands to end a decades-long economic embargo the US imposed on the island in 1960.
“We could settle our differences through negotiations without resigning to none of our principles. The heroic Cuban people has shown that they have been and will remain faithfull to our ideals of justice and social independence facing great dangers, sacrifices and difficulties,” he said in the beginning of a televised speech in a day when news about the release of prisoners from both sides hit international media headlines, heralding an overhaul in bilateral relations – American Alan Gross and a Cuban accused of “spying” for the US arrived in the US while Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero and Ramón Labañino arrived in Cuban soil today.
Hernández, Guerrero and Lebañino are part of the so called Cuban five group of prisoners. Two of them had been released before on completing their sentences – Rene González and Fernando González.
“We have maintained a profound loyalty to those who fell defending our principles from the times of the war of independence. Now we carry out the modernization of our economic model to build a prosper and sustainable socialism,” Raúl Castro stated praising what he called a dialogue of high level that could prompt the beginning of a new era in US-Cuba ties.
“As a result of a high level dialogue and a telephone conversation with US President Barack Obama we have been able to move forward in the resolution of issues of interest to our nations,” the Cuban leader affirmed.
“Like Fidel (Castro) promised, in June 2001, when he said they will be back, they arrived in our homeland Gerardo, Ramón and Antonio. The huge joy of their relatives and of all of our people who struggled tirelessly with that objective, gets extended to all the committees and solidarity groups, governments, parliaments, organizations, institutions and personalities that have demanded and made efforts for their liberation,” Castro said specially expressing Cuba’s gratitude to the Vatican and Pope Francis.
“I want to thank the support of the Vatican and mainly of Pope Francis in the improving of relations.”
The blockade
In his message to the nation, Raúl Castro also renewed that country’s condemnation of the longstanding economic embargo Washington continues to impose on the people of Cuba, after breaking diplomatic ties on the Caribbean island more than half a century ago during the Cold War.
“The economic and financial blockade that causes damages must stop,” leader Castro affirmed calling to “adopt mutual measures to improve the bilateral climate and move toward the normalization of ties between our countries, based on the principles of international human rights and the United Nations charter.”
“Cuba reiterates its disposition to maintain its cooperation in multilateral organisms as the United Nations. By acknowledging we have deep differences mainly on national sovereignty, democracy, human rights and foreign policy matters, I reaffirm our will to dialogue on all these issues,” Raúl Castro said urging the Obama administration to “remove the obstacles that block ties between our people, families and citizens of our countries, mainly in travel, mailing and telecommunications matters.»
“Progresses made in the obtained trades prove that finding a solution to major problems is possible. We must learn the art to coexist in a civilized way.”
Source: Buenos Aires Herald