Page 18 - HOH

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 18 april 2019

Trump cracks down on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela

Continued from Page 3 tor for the International Cri- Odalis Salazar worried
sis Group, a Brussels-based about the future of remit-
Bolton’s pledge to “never, think tank. tances she receives from
ever abandon” the people Collin Laverty, president of two children living abroad,
of Cuba, Venezuela and Cuba Educational Travel, including one in the United
Nicaragua in their fight for said in a statement that States.
freedom also might ring the measures on remit- “It hurts everyone and
hollow in light of the his- tances and travel threaten Trump is absolutely crimi-
torical events he sought to the economic survival of nal, because he knows that
highlight at the event host- Cuban families and the vi- ... (the remittances) help us
ed by the Bay of Pigs Veter- ability of thousands of inde- a lot,” Salazar said. “We
ans Association. pendent small businesses Cubans have families there
Many Cuban Americans allowed to operate since and we get by largely with
to this day resent the late 2010 under reforms imple- that help that they send
President John F. Kennedy Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news mented by former Presi- us.” Pompeo’s decision on
for not deploying American conference at the State Department in Washington, Wednesday, dent Raúl Castro. allowing lawsuits lets Ameri-
troops at a critical moment April 17, 2019. “The only winners here are cans, including Cubans
in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Associated Press a handful of members of who became naturalized
Meanwhile, with the high one, to oust Maduro is an cos from 60 years back Congress and those stuck citizens, sue companies
stakes of the Cold War a empty threat that will only suggests U.S. policy to Latin in the past that support that operate out of hotels,
fading memory, some crit- serve to ignite the streets America owes more now them,” Laverty said. “The tobacco factories, distill-
ics of U.S. policy toward and geopolitical tensions to a perverse Cold War losers are millions of Cubans eries and other properties
Venezuela worry the Trump with Russia, compounding nostalgia than practical on and off the island and nationalized after Fidel
administration’s stance the misery of Venezuelan benefits for people of the the overwhelming majority Castro took power.
that all options are on the citizens. “Honoring one of region,” said Ivan Briscoe, of Americans that support Pompeo said he would not
table, including a military U.S.’ greatest military fias- the Latin American direc- engagement with Cuba.” renew a bar on litigation
Many of the 400 or so that has been in place for
who paid $100 to attend two decades, meaning
Bolton’s speech at the Bilt- lawsuits can be filed start-
more in South Florida were ing May 2, when the cur-
of Cuban descent. Rafael rent suspension expires.
UsaTorres, a member of the The Justice Department
2506 Brigade that worked has certified roughly 6,000
for the CIA at the time of claims as having merit, said
the invasion, said he has Kimberly Breier, the top U.S.
faith the measures will bring diplomat for the Americas.
down Díaz-Canel’s govern- Those claims have an esti-
ment, though he wished it mated value of $8 billion:
had been done sooner. $2 billion in property and $6
“Today is a big day,” the billion in interest, she said.
78-year-old said. “But I feel An additional 200,000 un-
very sad — too many years certified claims could run
waiting.” into the tens of billions of
Others said Washington dollars, she said.
isn’t going far enough. Breier said there would be
Manuel Menendez-Pou, no exceptions to the poli-
79, said the Cuban gov- cy, but foreign companies
ernment had confiscated “will have nothing to worry
some $63 million in proper- about if they are not oper-
ty from his family, once one ating on properties taken
of the wealthiest on the from Americans.”
island, mainly in the sugar Nonetheless, companies
industry. in the European Union
“The problem is not the and Canadian companies
money,” Menendez-Pou, stand to lose tens of bil-
also a former member of lions in compensation and
the brigade, said minutes interest, and the decision
before the speech. “They prompted stern responses
stole our life.” and vows to protect busi-
In Havana, homemaker nesses from lawsuits.q