Obama asks Congress to lift embargo on Cuba

WASHINGTON, December 17th, 2015 (EFE)  President Barack Obama said Thursday that the economic embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba in 1962 is “the legacy of a failed policy,” once again urging Congress to lift it on the first anniversary of the launching of a process of rapprochement and bilateral normalization of relations.

In a statement issued on the anniversary of the policy shift, Obama also reiterated that “change” in Cuba will not occur “overnight” and that full normalization of relations “will be a long journey.”

Obama emphasized the “important steps” that have been taken over the past year to normalize relations, including reestablishing diplomatic ties with the opening of embassies in Washington and Havana, facilitating more travel and trade with Cuba and “connecting more Americans and Cubans.”

In addition, thanks to the change in U.S. policy toward Cuba, Washington is “in a stronger position” to engage “the people and governments of our hemisphere,” Obama said.

“We continue to have differences with the Cuban government, but we raise those issues directly, and we will always stand for human rights and the universal values that we support around the globe,” the president added.

On Dec. 17, 2014, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced the start of an historic process to normalize bilateral relations after more than half a century of enmity.

Today, the two governments announced that they had reached an agreement to resume direct commercial flights between the two countries, and last week they said they had agreed to reestablish direct postal service via a pilot plan for transporting mail and packages.

However, very complex issues remain to be resolved such as mutual economic compensation and ongoing important differences between the two countries in matters such as immigration and human rights.

Regarding the U.S. economic embargo on the communist island, although Obama has taken executive action to ease travel restrictions and some commercial transactions, the complete lifting of the embargo may only be done by Congress, which at present is controlled by the Republicans, a majority of whom are against eliminating it.

Obama said on Thursday that “Congress can support a better life for the Cuban people” by lifting the embargo.