Joni Ernst
The death of Fidel Castro will be an opportunity for the United States to work with Cuba to restore greater freedom to its people, argued U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
The death of Cuba’s former leader, Ernst said, would bring about new opportunities for “basic human rights and democracy” through Cuba that Castro and his brother, Raul Castro, have consistently refused to provide.
“Now is the time to eliminate the oppression that has consumed Cuba for decades,” Ernst added. “It’s my hope that the U.S. and Cuba can work together to chart a new path forward and ensure freedom and equality for all its people.”
Castro’s death comes after the United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in 2015, a move that was sharply criticized by some Republican leaders.
Gardner, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, agreed that Castro’s death would present new opportunities for democracy and freedom for Cuba’s people.
“The Cuban people have suffered under Fidel Castro’s oppressive and murderous regime for decades, and today we reflect on all of the lives lost, families ripped apart and hardship endured,” Gardner said. “His death presents an opportunity for the Cuban people, ushering in hope that one day Cuba too can enjoy the democracy and freedoms its people were promised.”
Wicker, meanwhile, said the oppression and tyranny characterized by Castro’s reign would continue to grip the island despite his death.
“I call on the regime to reject the methods of the past and deliver much needed political and human rights reforms to the Cuban people,” Wicker said.