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One Year Later: The Results of Obama’s Concessions to the Castros

December 17, 2015

WASHINGTON — Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) released the following statement in reaction to the anniversary of President Obama's failed appeasement and concession policy towards the Castro regime.

"One year ago today, President Obama announced his plan to provide further concessions to the Castro regime in exchange for precious little in return. The regime swapped an innocent humanitarian aid worker that it unjustly imprisoned for five years, and promised to release 53 political prisoners. In exchange, President Obama granted diplomatic recognition to the Castro dictatorship, removed it from the state sponsors of terrorism list, released convicted spies including one serving a life sentence for conspiracy to murder, and eased sanctions on financial transactions and trade with a dictatorship that holds the worst human rights record in our hemisphere.

"And what have the U.S., and the Cuban people, gained from President Obama's policy? Just take a look at the facts. Political arrests totaled 1,447 in November, the highest monthly tally this year, and there have been 7,686 political arrests this year to date. More than half of the Obama-Castro so-called ‘list of 53' political prisoners have been re-arrested in the past year. Desperate Cuban refugees are fleeing the regime in ever greater numbers. Meanwhile, the Castro regime is sending members of its military to prop up fellow dictator Assad in Syria and smuggling military weapons to rogue international actors.

"Sadly, the President's decision to coddle brutal dictators rather than embrace the people they oppress has had dismal consequences. From Tehran to Damascus to Havana, a President once given the Nobel Peace Prize has done nothing but allow tyranny to entrench itself. His policies have not helped the oppressed around the world, but have been a boon to repressive regimes across the globe."

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