Sen. Cruz: "Bringing Freedom to Cuba is a Goal Worth Pursuing'

Statement

Today, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement regarding President Trump's Cuba policy announcement:

"Today's Cuba actions by the Trump administration are an important step in the right direction," Sen. Cruz said. "These are common sense measures I have supported in the past, particularly authoring legislation with Sen. Rubio to prohibit financial transactions with Cuba's military-controlled entities. President Obama's normalization policy with Communist Cuba has fundamentally undermined U.S. interests and strengthened the Castros' control over the island. As a result, American dollars are directly funneled to the Cuban military which sustains the regime's brutal activities. There has been no corresponding political liberation with the ease of travel and trade restrictions, only increased oppression, imprisonments, and torture.

"I commend President Trump for a positive step toward cutting off U.S. funds from going to the Cuban military. This is not an abstract issue to me. It is a personal one. My father and my aunt both were imprisoned and tortured in Cuba -- one by Batista, one by Castro. They've seen firsthand the oppression that the Cuban government produces and they both fled to Texas seeking freedom.

"America should not be subsidizing the machinery of this communist government which has been exporting terror throughout Latin America for decades. Instead, we should be using American policy to encourage genuine democratic reforms and leadership in Cuba. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the administration to protect and enhance freedom for the Cuban people."

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