Cuban Embassy reopens; Caterpillar, NFU push end to embargo
July 20, 2015 |05:25 PM
As the Cuban Embassy reopened today in Washington, Caterpillar Inc. and the National Farmers Union said it is time for Congress to end the embargo.
The Cuban flag was raised for the first time since 1961 on the embassy building at 2630 16th St. N.W. Cuba’s presence in Washington in recent years has been known as the Cuban Interests Section under the protection of the Swiss government.
Josh Earnest, White House press secretary, said in a statement, “Today’s openings are the result of respectful dialogue between the United States and the Republic of Cuba following the December 17 announcements by President Obama and President Raùl Castro to reestablish diplomatic relations between our two nations.
“This is yet another demonstration that we don’t have to be imprisoned by the past,” Earnest added. “We look forward to working collaboratively to normalize relations with the Cuban government and people after more than half a century of discord. Beginning today, our diplomats in Havana will have the ability to engage more broadly across the island of Cuba, with the Cuban government, civil society and ordinary Cubans.”
Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson led the State Department delegation at the opening ceremony at the Cuban Embassy today. The White House was represented by Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Benjamin Rhodes and National Security Council Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Mark Feierstein.
Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to travel to Cuba later this summer to open the U.S. Embassy there.
As The Washington Post has documented, the Cuban Embassy in Washington's Twitter handle is now @EmbaCubaUS, and the U.S. Embassy in Havana's Twitter handle is now @USEmbCuba.
“For almost 20 years, Caterpillar has strongly advocated for engagement rather than isolation in Cuba. We’ve also called on the U.S. government to lift the trade embargo because, in our view, the current isolationist policy hasn’t worked,” Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman said in a news release.
“Dialogue is a great start. We encourage the president and Congress to work together on the next step – finally ending the 54-year embargo that has made the 90 miles separating our nations an insurmountable barrier. It is now time to unleash the full power of engagement by fully normalizing relations. Fully integrating Cuba into the global economy will improve the everyday lives of the Cuban people,” Oberhelman added.
Caterpillar leaders visited Cuba in April to better understand the potential market and to meet with business and government leaders, he said, noting that the company has donated generator sets to Cuban hospitals and is exploring other ways “to improve conditions for the Cuban people.”
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson hailed the reopening of the Cuban embassy in Washington and urged Congress to quickly pass the “The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act of 2015,” a bill that would lift the trade embargo and reopen full trade with Cuba.
“After 54 years of a failed policy based on isolating Cuba, today is truly a new threshold in our relationship with one of our closest neighbors,” said Johnson. “Now Congress should move quickly to knock down those self-imposed, outdated trade barriers and open up new export opportunities for U.S. family farmers and ranchers."
“The financial restrictions that remain in place prevent normal business relationships from developing between the U.S. and Cuba,” he added. “American agriculture would greatly benefit from extending credit to Cuban buyers and allowing them to purchase not just American farm goods, but also auto parts and other durable goods that American family farmers, ranchers and rural communities are already producing and are eager to sell."
Johnson, who often opposes trade agreements and opposed the trade promotion authority bill, applauded the Obama administration for taking the lead in reopening relations with Cuba. “NFU has worked hard over the last five years to push for a normalization of relations with Cuba,” said Johnson. “And it is heartwarming to finally see that beginning to happen.”
But House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, was not pleased.
“As the Cuban flag rises just up the street from the White House, the Cuban dictatorship continues to arrest and oppress pro-democracy activists,” Boehner said in a news release. “It is appalling to see America’s president welcoming – and rewarding – a regime that shows no regard for our most fundamental values. Instead of mingling with the Castros’ representatives today, our government should be standing with Cuba’s freedom fighters. These brave men and women, and their families, are certainly in my prayers.”
The Cuban flag was raised for the first time since 1961 on the embassy building at 2630 16th St. N.W. Cuba’s presence in Washington in recent years has been known as the Cuban Interests Section under the protection of the Swiss government.
Josh Earnest, White House press secretary, said in a statement, “Today’s openings are the result of respectful dialogue between the United States and the Republic of Cuba following the December 17 announcements by President Obama and President Raùl Castro to reestablish diplomatic relations between our two nations.
“This is yet another demonstration that we don’t have to be imprisoned by the past,” Earnest added. “We look forward to working collaboratively to normalize relations with the Cuban government and people after more than half a century of discord. Beginning today, our diplomats in Havana will have the ability to engage more broadly across the island of Cuba, with the Cuban government, civil society and ordinary Cubans.”
Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson led the State Department delegation at the opening ceremony at the Cuban Embassy today. The White House was represented by Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Benjamin Rhodes and National Security Council Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Mark Feierstein.
Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to travel to Cuba later this summer to open the U.S. Embassy there.
As The Washington Post has documented, the Cuban Embassy in Washington's Twitter handle is now @EmbaCubaUS, and the U.S. Embassy in Havana's Twitter handle is now @USEmbCuba.
“For almost 20 years, Caterpillar has strongly advocated for engagement rather than isolation in Cuba. We’ve also called on the U.S. government to lift the trade embargo because, in our view, the current isolationist policy hasn’t worked,” Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman said in a news release.
“Dialogue is a great start. We encourage the president and Congress to work together on the next step – finally ending the 54-year embargo that has made the 90 miles separating our nations an insurmountable barrier. It is now time to unleash the full power of engagement by fully normalizing relations. Fully integrating Cuba into the global economy will improve the everyday lives of the Cuban people,” Oberhelman added.
Caterpillar leaders visited Cuba in April to better understand the potential market and to meet with business and government leaders, he said, noting that the company has donated generator sets to Cuban hospitals and is exploring other ways “to improve conditions for the Cuban people.”
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson hailed the reopening of the Cuban embassy in Washington and urged Congress to quickly pass the “The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act of 2015,” a bill that would lift the trade embargo and reopen full trade with Cuba.
“After 54 years of a failed policy based on isolating Cuba, today is truly a new threshold in our relationship with one of our closest neighbors,” said Johnson. “Now Congress should move quickly to knock down those self-imposed, outdated trade barriers and open up new export opportunities for U.S. family farmers and ranchers."
“The financial restrictions that remain in place prevent normal business relationships from developing between the U.S. and Cuba,” he added. “American agriculture would greatly benefit from extending credit to Cuban buyers and allowing them to purchase not just American farm goods, but also auto parts and other durable goods that American family farmers, ranchers and rural communities are already producing and are eager to sell."
Johnson, who often opposes trade agreements and opposed the trade promotion authority bill, applauded the Obama administration for taking the lead in reopening relations with Cuba. “NFU has worked hard over the last five years to push for a normalization of relations with Cuba,” said Johnson. “And it is heartwarming to finally see that beginning to happen.”
But House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, was not pleased.
“As the Cuban flag rises just up the street from the White House, the Cuban dictatorship continues to arrest and oppress pro-democracy activists,” Boehner said in a news release. “It is appalling to see America’s president welcoming – and rewarding – a regime that shows no regard for our most fundamental values. Instead of mingling with the Castros’ representatives today, our government should be standing with Cuba’s freedom fighters. These brave men and women, and their families, are certainly in my prayers.”
