Aramis Perez addresses Jimmy Carter’s visit to Cuba, and what the peanut farmer should have said.
Opinion: What Jimmy Carter Should Have Said in Cuba
During his visit to Cuba this week, former President Jimmy Carter packed an international media spotlight with his guayabera, affording him an opportunity to refocus the international conversation on Cuba on the efforts of the pro-freedom Resistance to achieve a democratic transition, and the injustices suffered by the people on the island at the hands of the Communist regime.
Instead, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate passed up the chance to stand squarely on the world stage for the Cuban people’s democratic aspirations – embodied in the nonviolent action valiantly undertaken by the freedom movement despite the regime’s reprisals, including beatings, imprisonment, and torture – and chose to bolster causes important to the dictatorship.
Yes, he met with some members of civil society and the Cuban Resistance. He reportedly expressed hope for the Cuban people to enjoy freedom of speech, assembly, and travel and for the enforcement of international rights standards.
But then Carter called for the release of five convicted members of the regime’s “Wasp” spy network serving sentences in US prison. Ringleader Gerardo Hernandez is serving life for charges including contributing to the murders of Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales in the 1996 shootdown over international waters of civilian aircraft flown by humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue.
Carter’s position was to excuse these heinous crimes.
Continue reading Aramis’ editorial HERE.