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Vice President Biden Talks To Chamber About United States Connecting To Other Countries
By Kenya Woodard Sentinel Feature Writer
The United States’ renewed connection with coun- tries throughout the Western Hemisphere and restored diplomatic relations with Cuba are just two of the top- ics Vice President Joe Biden covered Wednesday in his speech before the Tampa Chamber of Commerce at the University of Tampa.
Calling Tampa an “incredible community,” Mr. Biden said his visit to the Cigar City was to show that “policy isn’t just a think tank in D. C.”
Mr. Biden said since the start of the Obama Ad- ministration, he’s been actively and intimately involved with improving the status of the United States’ rela- tionships with Latin America as well its standing with neighbors Canada and Mexico.
That’s meant taking dozens of trips to several coun- tries, including Argentina, Chile, and Panama, and being willing to engage with leaders has changed the way the United States is perceived, he said.
“All foreign policy is personal,” he said. “You have to know the other leader with detail...understand what their objectives are and their limits.”
Eight years later that concerted effort has paid off. For example, Columbia and its guerilla warriors are on the verge of a peace agreement, corruption in govern- ment is down across the board, and policing units are effective, he said.
The above was accomplished thanks to a focus on developing partnerships and trust and today, the U. S. enjoys a relationship with the Western Hemisphere that is rooted in “mutual respect,” Mr. Biden said.
“We are in a better position in this hemisphere than we have ever been,” he said.
There’s a “vital shift” occurring in Latin America
Vice President Joe Biden spoke in Tampa on Wednesday.
that’s resulted in “tens of millions of people” moving out of poverty and into the middle class and more gov- ernments choosing pragmatism over populism, he said.
There’s a shift taking place locally too, which is ev- ident by the increased export activity at Tampa’s port, he said.
Exports are up 80 percent since 2009 and are ex- pected to remain strong as improvements coming on- line at the Panama Canal next month will assist in the exportation of more natural gas from the U. S.
The canal’s improvements are critical to the cre- ation of “thousands of new jobs,” Mr. Biden said.
Restoring relations with Cuba is another economic
machine that will create new opportunities for U. S. businesses and Cuba’s private sector.
But the U. S. continues to disagree with Cuba’s human relations record and will continue to press the country to improve treatment of its citizens, Mr. Biden said.
Halfway through his speech, Mr. Biden turned to immigration, saying that the U. S.’s attraction to people all over the world is “one of our greatest strengths.”
Those who left their homelands to come here were “the most optimistic, the most entrepreneurial,” he said.
“We can never forget the reason people came to America is not because of the example of our power, but the power of our example.”
The U. S. is poised to gain much by addressing its immigration issue, Mr. Biden said.
“There is nothing we can’t accomplish in America when we set our will to it,” he said. “...we have believed that anything is possible if we set our mind to it. And we’ve done it.”
Reaction to Mr. Biden’s speech was enthusiastic.
Collette Glover Hannah, CEO of Hannah’s Shoebox, said she was glad to hear Mr. Biden address improving its standing within the Western Hemi- sphere, especially in North America.
“I love the fact that he’s looking at everything from Canada to Mexico,” said Hannah, whose company does business in Canada.
State Rep. Ed Narain said normalizing relations with Cuba creates “ample” opportunities for entrepre- neurs, especially for Black Cubans, a group who suf- fered during their country’s isolation from the U. S.
“(Renewed relations with Cuba creates) opportuni- ties for small businesses to do international trade,” he said.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A