Former Vice President Joe Biden says he would restore Obama-era policies of engagement with Cuba.
The comments from the presumptive presidential nominee for the Democrats, came during an interview with CBS4 in Miami. The interview was posted on the local television station’s website on Monday.
Asked specifically if he would resume the Obama administration’s policy of engaging with the island nation, Biden replied: “Yes, I would. In large part, I would go back. I’d still insist they keep the commitments they said they would make when we, in fact, set the policy in place.”
The Hill noted President Donald Trump has re-imposed economic sanctions on Cuba and imposed travel restrictions that had been relaxed under the Obama administration.
The moves were aimed at pressuring Cuba on its human rights records and for its support of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
Biden noted Cuba was having a difficult time building up the Maduro regime.
“Number one, Maduro is in real trouble” he said. “Number two, there’s no reason why we cannot still sanction them, but failing to recognize them at all is a different thing than sanctioning them.”
Biden said engaging with Cuba would also build up U.S. efforts throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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