Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Slams Obama on Cuba

With the Obama administration meeting with representatives of the Castro regime in Washington this week to discuss establishing mail service between the two nations, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., used her perch on the House Western Hemisphere Subcommittee to weigh in on communist tyranny in Cuba.

When talking about security in this Hemisphere, we must not forget about Cuba -- the State Sponsor of Terrorism 90 miles from South Florida, Ros-Lehtinen said on Wednesday. In the last two months, the Obama administration has granted a U.S. visa to Raul Castro's daughter and returned to Cuba a convicted spy without having him finish his sentence here in the U.S.

This week, we find out that the State Department will engage the Castro regime in direct mail and migration talks, she continued. The Castro regime does not and will not comply with any international agreement. In fact, just a few years ago, the regime signed two international human rights accords. Yet, detentions on the island have risen and valiant defenders of democracy like Las Damas de Blanco (the Ladies in White) face weekly beatings. In addition, it is the Castro regime that does not comply with the mail accords that we signed years ago.

What's next with this administration? she demanded. Enough is enough. Basta ya! The Cuban people deserve freedom and democracy, just as all oppressed people do, and these talks will not help them achieve those goals.