Fourth Day Of Cuba References At Briefings By The White House
/The White House
Washington DC
15 July 2021
Press Briefing With Jen Psaki
Q Thank you, Jen. Now that you've had a few days to think about it, does this White House still think the protests in Cuba are happening because people are upset about a rise in COVID cases there or is there some thought, maybe, given to the possibility that they're protesting because they are sick of communism?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Peter, first, I would say: Communism is a failed ideology, and we certainly believe that. It has failed the people of Cuba. They deserve freedom. They deserve a government that supports them, whether that is making sure they have health and medical supplies, access to vaccines, or whether they have economic opportunity and prosperity. And instead, this has been a government -- an authoritarian communist regime -- that has repressed its people and has failed the people of Cuba. Hence, we're seeing them in the streets. But I would note that the ideology of the government, which has failed, has led to a fail- -- a lack of access to economic opportunity, to medical supplies, to COVID vaccines. So all of those pieces are true.
Q And there are protesters now in this country who are chanting, as these protests in Cuba are going on, "Where is Biden?" So, where is he? What is he doing to protect these people who are rising up against the leaders of this failed experiment?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, he is certainly advocating for and speaking out, as we put out a statement -- multiple statements -- maybe one of you will ask him a question about Cuba today. I will -- I will leave it to all of you to determine that. But, one, he has made clear that he stands with the Cuban people and their call for freedom from both the pandemic and from decades of repression and economic suffering to which they've been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime. There's an ongoing review of our own policies. And as we look at those policies, one of the big factors is ensuring we are not doing anything to pad the pockets of a corrupt authoritarian regime. And that is certainly a factor as he's considering, but we're looking closely at how we can help in a humanitarian way, how we can help support the voices of the Cuban people, and there's an ongoing policy review in that regard.
Q We'd be happy to ask him about it later if he calls on us. (Laughter.) But one more --
MS. PSAKI: Anyone can ask anything they want. But go ahead.
Q One more for you: Why is the Secretary of State Blinken trying to address human rights in the U.S. by inviting experts -- U.N. experts from Cuba and China here?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, I would say that the Secretary put out an extensive statement on why he is holding -- why he believes that we need to play a role in lifting up and pushing countries to do better on human rights, on ending systemic racism in their countries. Certainly, human rights is always going to be a priority for the Biden administration and for this State Department. As the Secretary said in his statement, he believes responsible nations must not shrink from scrutiny of their human rights record. Rather, they should acknowledge it with the intent to improve it, and also push and lift up and put a -- shine a light on other countries that need to do better. And that is the role we're playing here from the United States.
Q But you just rattled off all these problems with Cuba. They've got dissenters disappearing down there. In China, they've got a million religious minorities in internment camps. Why are they going to come here and tell us how to improve our country?
Q And can you provide a status update on investigative assistance for Haiti? And also, when can the public expect the administration to make a determination on whether it's changing its policy towards Cuba?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. I don't have anything for you on the timeline on Cuba policy. I will note that we certainly look at the policy through the prism of how we can most help the Cuban people -- the people who have been out in the streets looking to have their voices heard in these protests. And even as we look at individual components of policies that would be under consideration -- including, say, remittances -- there are a range of factors. There are a number, of course, of people who have called for a return for allowing remit- --- remittances to go from family members to individuals in Cuba. On the flip side of that, or one of the challenges is: the prevention or our desire to prevent remittances or any funding going in the hands or the pockets of leaders in Cuba. So, these are challenging issues. There's an ongoing review. I don't have a timeline to preview for you.
Q Okay, so the -- Florida’s governor and some FEC commissioner in Miami, representatives are calling on Biden to greenlight a plan that would allow the deployment of higher altitude communication balloons to beam Internet into Cuba. Is this something the administration plans to do? And if not, why not?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the lack of Internet access, as you know, which is why you're asking, is a huge issue in Cuba and one that is very challenging for the people of Cuba so they can gain access to accurate information, they can correspond with family members and others. We are certainly looking at that to see what can be done to address, but in terms of that specific proposal, I don't have an assessment of that. I can see if there's more specifics on it.
The White House
Washington DC
15 July 2021
Q I have a couple of questions for you. Also a question for the Chancellor. But, Mr. President, with respect to Latin America and the developments there in the last week-plus --
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Yes.
Q -- what are the circumstances under which you would send American troops to Haiti? That's the first question. The second question is: When it comes to Cuba, what is your current thinking on American sanctions toward Cuba and the embargo? And today, your Press Secretary said that communism is a “failed ideology.” I assume that's your view. I was wondering if you could also give us your view on socialism.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: In two minutes or less. (Laughter.)
Obviously, I know why they elected you president. (Laughter.) Well, let me start off by answering the question relative to Haiti and Cuba. And communism is a failed system -- a universally failed system. And I don't see socialism as a very useful substitute, but that's another story.
With regard to whether the circumstances in which we would send military troops to Haiti: We -- we’re only sending American Marines to our embassy to make sure that they are secure and nothing is out of whack at all. But the idea of sending American forces into Haiti is not on the agenda at this moment, number one.
Number two, with regard to Cuba: Cuba is a -- unfortunately, a failed state and repressing their citizens. There are a number of things that we would consider doing to help the people of Cuba, but it would require a different circumstance or a guarantee that they would not be taken advantage of by the government -- for example, the ability to send remittances to -- back to Cuba. I would not do that now because the fact is it’s highly likely that the regime would confiscate those remittances or big chunks of it.
With regard to the need COVID on -- I mean -- excuse me -- they have a COVID problem on -- in Cuba. I'd be prepared to give significant amounts of vaccine if, in fact, I was assured an international organization would administer those vaccines and do it in a way that average citizens would have access to those vaccines. And one of the things that you did not ask but we're considering is -- they've cut off access to the Internet. We're considering whether we have the technological ability to reinstate that access.
