Push-Poll Glosses Over the Realities Inside Totalitarian Cuba

WASHINGTON — Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) released the following statement after the Atlantic Council published results from its recent push-poll:

"The push-poll released by the Atlantic Council today glosses over the basic realities inside totalitarian Cuba. The sanctions are in place to prevent U.S. dollars from subsidizing a brutal dictatorship that aids America's enemies and opposes U.S. interests at every opportunity.

"The poll skims over the Castro dictatorship's egregious human rights record, including the beatings, arrests and imprisonments increasing over the past few weeks. Nor does it mention the dozens of fugitives from U.S. justice harbored by the Castro dictatorship or that U.S. humanitarian aid worker Alan Gross has remained imprisoned unjustly for more than four years. The Obama administration's weakening of sanctions since 2009 has only emboldened the Castro regime to intensify its vicious campaign of oppression against the Cuban people and continue its anti-American activities.

"Fundamental American principles of basic liberties and human rights are at the heart of U.S.-Cuba policy. U.S. law states that when free elections are held, political prisoners released, and basic liberties of expression, press, and association recognized in Cuba, the sanctions will end. In the meantime, more tourists sipping mojitos at regime-owned hotels and more business tycoons striking deals with regime-owned industries will do nothing to assist the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom. The sanctions codified in U.S. law affirm that the American people stand in solidarity with the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom by refusing to sustain their oppressors. Regrettably, the highly biased and superficial Atlantic Council push-poll provides only misinformation and distortions regarding U.S.-Cuba policy and ignores the democratic aspirations of the Cuban people."