By JAVIER MANJARRES
Florida Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor has broken ranks with her fellow Florida Congressional Democrats by proposing that the U.S. embargo to Cuba is lifted.
DNC Chair and Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, who has been one of the most outspoken proponents of the embargo, along with other Democrats, Rep. Frederica Wilson, Senator Bob Menendez, Rep. Ted Deutsch, and freshman Congressman Joe Garcia, is probably not too happy with her colleague's statement on what is considered to be one of Wasserman Schultz's 'bread and butter' issues.
A few weeks back, the Cuba-Democracy PAC held its annual fundraising luncheon in Miami, Florida, where politicos and politicians put their party politics aside, in an effort to show their united support for a 'free Cuba.' In attendance to the pro-embargo, anti-Castro event were Senator Menendez and Rep. Joe Garcia, as well as Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart.
“It is time for the U.S. to modernize its relationship with Cuba, lift the embargo and end restrictions on American’s rights to travel to Cuba"- Rep. Kathy Castor(D-FL) SFBJ
But are Castor's words the just the beginning of a bigger plan by the Obama administration to eventually lift the Cuban embargo? President Obama has already eased some travel restrictions to Fidel Castro's island, and could revert to signing Executive Orders to lift the ban all together.
Also take into consideration that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Secretary of State John Kerry have openly opposed the embargo. Hagel's opposes the trade restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba, citing that limitation to farmers would hamper any future development of a market on island.
Kerry has gone as far as to call they U.S. policy against Castro's regime a "failure," and while serving in the U.S. Senate, Kerry offered up a bill in 2009 have would lift the embargo.
Could President Obama go as far as to lift the Cuban embargo?
Share the post below. Should the embargo be lifted?
