The White House Updates This Morning Its Statement About Cuba's 8th Communist Party Congress

UPDATE: At 9:30 am on 17 April 2021, a Senior Administration Official provided by email the following statement in response to this question: "May I have whatever information Ms. Psaki or a representative shared subsequently with the reporter who asked the question?"

"It is for the Cuban people to speak to the results of the party congress. The United States is focused on democracy, human rights, and empowering the Cuban people to determine their own future. We are currently reviewing policy toward Cuba, and have nothing further to announce at this time. Our administration will engage directly with a large swath of Cuban civil society; our policies will be designed to empower them and recognize their leadership on these issues, and we will directly engage the Cuban government on issues across the board, including denouncing abuses and pushing for reforms."

The White House
Washington DC
16 April 2021

Press Briefing By Press Secretary Jen Psaki

Q No. So there's kind of a historic moment that's playing out in Cuba, in terms of Castro stepping down from the Communist Party and a moving -- a changing of the guard, in terms of the Castro family moving on and new leadership. Do you have any reaction to that? And why haven't we seen anything from the President as far as sanctions are concerned?

MS. PSAKI: Well, broadly speaking, our policy, as it relates to Cuba, is going to be governed by two principles. Support for democracy and human rights will be at the core of our efforts, through empowering and -- empowering the Cuban people to determine their own future. And second, our belief that Americans, especially Cuban Americans, are the best ambassadors for freedom and prosperity. A Cuba policy shift or additional steps is currently not among the President's top foreign policy priorities. But it is an issue, of course, we will remain engaged in and focused on. And I can see if there's more of a reaction to that change in leadership. Absolutely.