Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) responds to today’s announcement regarding U.S. – Cuba policy

MIAMI – The Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) throughout its history has been at the forefront of advocating the right of the Cuban people to live in freedom under a democratic system where the rule of law protects all Cubans. The announcement today by the United States that encompasses a myriad of policy changes is unprecedented in its scope and places the success of these policy changes on the Cuban regime extending limited space and rights to the Cuban people.

The eventual outcome of this agreement will depend on whether or not the Cuban political prisoners who have been released are not subject to a carousel of re-arrests and harassment as has been the norm, that the acts of repression against the Damas de Blanco and all other non-violent opposition and civil society groups permanently cease, that all Cubans are given unrestricted access to internet and social media and that there is substantial, unreversed, progress in human, economic, civil and political rights for all of the Cuban people.

It is our firm conviction that any negotiation with the Cuban regime will only have value towards the prospects of a democratic Cuba if the voice of the Cuban people as well the exile community has a seat at the negotiating table. Now is the time for action and CANF will continue to place all its faith and resources toward the support and the empowerment of Cuba’s independent civil society without whom there will be no meaningful change in Cuba.

We urge the Obama administration to confirm its support for the right of the Cuban people to be free by increasing the funding of the Cuba Democracy programs which have provided much needed aid and support to the repressed Cuban civil society. The Castro regime’s record on fulfilling its agreements has been poor at best allowing little expectations as to its will to fulfill its part of the agreement.

We thank, His Holiness Pope Francis, for his intervention on behalf of the Cuban people and urge him to remain vigilant for the fulfillment of the Castro government commitments to release all prisoners of conscience and cease the repression of the Ladies in White and the rest of the human rights activists