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President Obama Answers Questions From Anti-Castro Blogger

November 20, 2009 5:58 PM

ABC's Whitney Lloyd reports from New York:

Just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, but a world away in terms of free speech, outspoken anti-Castro blogger Yoani Sanchez published President Obama’s responses to seven questions she asked him about U.S.-Cuba relations.

On her blog “Generacion Y,” Sanchez posted questions for both President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, feeling frustrated that both countries were ignoring citizens’ concerns.

“I want to know, from my diminutive position as a citizen,” Sanchez posted, “how this dispute is going to play out, when will it cease to be the central theme in every aspect of our lives.”

Among the questions posed to Obama: Would the U.S. renounce the use of military force as a way to end the long-running standoff? Is the U.S. embargo to blame for Cubans’ limited access to the Internet? Would he be willing to travel to Cuba?

President Obama responded, saying in part that the U.S. has no plans to use its military might in Cuba, that his administration will support Cuba’s effort to expand technology to its citizens and that he looks forward to visiting Cuba only when its citizens enjoy the same rights as other residents of the Western Hemisphere.

The State Department confirmed to the Miami Herald that President Obama did in fact answer Sanchez’s questions.

President Obama’s response comes shortly after government agents detained Sanchez as she traveled to a protest in Havana.

According to an Associated Press report, agents dragged Sanchez and her friend into a vehicle where they warned her that her writings detailing life in the tightly-controlled island nation have gone too far.

So far in fact that the Cuban government barred Sanchez from traveling to New York City last month to accept the Maria Moors Cabot Prize on Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus – an award she won for her efforts to foster understanding among the Americas.

Sanchez continues to wait for President Castro’s answers to her questions.

November 20, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (5)

User Comments

The best thing NoBo could do for Yoani Sanchez and the people of Cuba would be to end the wet-foot dry-foot policy.
Don't allow any more Cubans to get dropped off on our shores and then grant them residency.
If all the Cubans who came here during the Mariel boat lift and since had been repatriated then the internal pressure for change in Cuba might have been great enough so that the people would have revolted and started their own democracy.

Posted by: Noz | Nov 20, 2009 11:46:30 PM

What a wise statement there, Noz !

I think~things could be better...
If we could be friends with Vietnam;
even Russia....
I think, we could go further...
Mind U~Cuba is better off then even
N Korea...only, go about it nicely !
I love to see the Cubans come up...

Posted by: Duncan | Nov 21, 2009 6:32:52 AM

"What a wise statement there, Noz !" - Duncan

Thank you very kindly Duncan.

Trouble is, I don't think NoBo has the ##### to make such a policy change.
I would be thrilled if he did.

Posted by: Noz | Nov 21, 2009 10:27:43 AM

Don't really get this whole thing here. Obama is practically a Socialist going towards a Communist Framework. So really , Cuba and Obama are competing to see who's more socialist. Cuba is probably envious of the fact that Obama will be more of a socialist estate than Cuba since he has more resources to Burn on the backs of Americans....To me this whole debate is stupid. Obama is a socialist, Cuba does not matter anymore. Obama will be the new "Che" and he will destroy the US at this rate....I may have to go to Cuba to escape his taxes!

Posted by: Eddie | Nov 21, 2009 5:53:32 PM

Earlier, I had better opinion about Obama. He isn't such good as I thought.

Posted by: ilona@israel | Nov 22, 2009 2:06:55 AM

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