Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Raul Castro Serious about Normal U.S. Relations

Update: The congressional leaders who met with both Raul Castro and Fidel Castro said in a press conference that the Castros are open and ready for normal relations with the U.S. They met with Raul for 4 hours. Bobby Rush said Raul Castro, president of Cuba, had a sense of humor and was down to Earth. He had a modest home, Rush said. He said that Americans have been lied to about the threat of Cuba for way too long.
They said that Fidel Castro asked: how can we help Obama? Fidel Castro was sharp and engaging, they said.
The leaders concluded that the ban on travel and trade needs to be lifted.
During the Q&A, the delegation said no demands of apologies were made by the Castros.
HAVANA – President Raul Castro met with six visiting members of the Congressional Black Caucus for more than four hours, his first face-to-face discussions with U.S. leaders since he became Cuba's president last year.
State television showed images of Castro, who holds the rank of four-star army general, wearing a business suit instead of his trademark olive-green fatigues and sitting down with Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, and other members of the American delegation behind closed doors late Monday.
"I'm convinced Raul Castro wants a normal relationship with the United States," Lee told The Associated Press after the meeting adjourned. "He's serious." Read more at the AP
Cubans crave better relations with the U.S. Students say they miss friends and relatives that have left Cuba. A must-see video: