Congressman Flake Releases Statement on Resignation of Fidel Castro
Washington, D.C.,
Feb 19, 2008 -
Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today released the following statement regarding the resignation of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
“The reign of Fidel Castro marked a brutal and dictatorial chapter for the Cuban people,” said Flake. “Let’s hope that his resignation opens a new chapter.”
“Whether that new chapter will be open, however, largely depends on a new approach to Cuba by the U.S. Government. The U.S. embargo gave Fidel a tremendous advantage in terms of lengthening his tenure. Let's not give his successor the same advantage by keeping the embargo in place.”
Congressman Flake, a critic of the U.S.’s current Cuba policy, believes that the most effective way to hasten democratic reforms in Cuba is to ease trade and travel restrictions currently imposed by the U.S.
