it has created hardships for cuban citizens for normal cubans but it does not force the cuban governmentto change its policies or distractions and in fact in many ways it does offer the government a rationale to crack down on dissent. the policy hasn't succeeded in bringing change to the cuban government. at the same time it has relegated the united states both u.s. government and u.s. society to the sidelines in cuba. and so the policy of isolation has failed and i think it pretty clearly has the question is what about a policy of engagement? no one takes a policy of engagement is a magic solution to the human rights problem in cuba but it's clear historically historically. of engagement with cuba are periods in which we have seen political relaxation particularly the release of prisoners. under president carter during the time pope john paul ii visited during the 2012 talks with the spanish government all three of them saw significant prisoner releases and just this past month following extensive talks between cuban and u.s. governments 53 political prisoners were released completing t

-cuban policy. i appreciate your engagement on issues related to cuba and western hemisphere and know your struck in itment to values, human rights and expanding economic opportunities in the americas. i want to thank this committee for assistance in welcoming the long overdo return of alan gross to his family. his five long years of detention during that time, the administration worked closely with men members of congress from both chambers and parties to secure his release. as the president and the secretary have said, we're also grateful for the essential roles of canada, pope francis and the sad ken in reaching an agreement that made mr. gross's freedom possible. september 17, the president announced the new policy towards cuba. our previous approach to relations with cuba, over half a century, though rooted in the best of intentions failed tome power the cuban people. instead, is isolated us from democratic partners in this hemisphere and around the world and was used by the cuban government as

the cuban government is looking for -- the cuban regime needs oxygen at needs air.he cuban government wants a capitalist economic system. and a communist political system. we cannot tolerate this after over half a century. human rights first economy second. the cuban people are suffering and hungry not because of the american government. the cuban people are hungry because the communist system does not work. we do not want a succession in cuba. we do not want a continuation of the regime. we do not want a dynasty in power. we want free elections. the resources that are for the people of cuba, the resources meant for the cuban people, the castros will take to strengthen the apparatus. >> thank you so much, mr. smith. thank you for calling this important hearing. thank you to our witnesses who are victims of the castro regime, for being here today. i am humbled to be in your presence. some of you live in cuba. others are here now but have family in cuba, so i know you are very brave for being here today. this is sort of an insurance policy that you have offered them,

the view that the cubans left their country, the cubans were forced out. people were imprisoned, people were executed and now you are repeating -- >> you're going to take the property from the people living in it for 55 years? that is the same argument in eastern europe. >> you're changing the argument. >> we do need to get to other questions. >> going back to the last of the subject of the cuban adjustment, i agree with frank that criminals should be prosecuted and thrown in jail. but not having normalized diplomatic relationships, not having banking relations, of incredible restrictions makes it -- having travel restrictions makes it harder to go after these people than otherwise having these relations because if it is just cash only if we make it harder for law enforcement to go after these people, how are we going to get them? the cuban adjustment act allows this and so does the embargo. it seems very immoral at this juncture to say we are going to close the door to everyone else trying to come here seeking a better life's though the same regime is sti

freedom depends on us cubans. but we need the support -- we need the material and spiritual support of other governments. i'm going to go further back. in 1980 100,000 cubans left cuba. teachers, engineers, physicians. castro called them scum and said they were leaving due to economic reasons. >> with that i'm going to interrupt you for a second because i know you have a flight to catch. i just want to say something before you leave. this is the news of today. dissidents arrested for protests near cuban national assembly this morning. so much has changed. a group of 12 dissidents were arrested as they tried to stage a protest near the havana headquarters of the cuban regime's national assembly. the dissidents part of the civil resistance front took out a sign demanding the elimination of castro's draconian laws that ever wonderful social danger dangerousness. their whereabouts remain unknown. in stark contrast this region says both leaders of this group are freely and openly testifying before the u.s. house of rep

cubans returning half a million coming and going cuban americans coming and going and cuban its leaving so that deep divide is beginning to be diluted a little bit. >> when we come back, we'll continue addressing that issue as to whether there should be a larger debate about cuban's roles. we are going to take a break. our continuing coverage of the senate hearings will continue right after this.

filing consult any cuban dissidents. -- filing consult any cuban dissidents. uses political speech writers and the national security council staff to craft its policy change. i want to associate myself with your remarks and the young lady from florida. yesterday, witness in testimony in the senate hearing recognized that the reck -- that russia is one of the most openly challenged the united states in regard to cuba. these actors that had unless in the region. in view of the events that i thought the gentle lady from florida spelled out the u.s. must protect the national security interests and the future negotiations with the cuba government including maintaining guantanamo bay. with that i yield back. i recognize the ragging member on the subcommittee on the western hemisphere who also is the one other cuban born member of this committee, he was also born in hatcha. were you about 11 when you -- >> -- in havana. >> yes. i did come to this country when i was 11 years old in 1962. but my biggest disappointment with this process has been that i always felt the e

cuban cuban diaspora. >> as there is more trade and more tourism, when many of those tourists go back to cuba and speak out against their government that's in cuba have we talked about some of those issues? >> we certainly consider that in terms of cubans coming to the united states and when that travel policy was liberalized there was an enormous concern among activists that if they left and spoke freely they either wouldn't be able to go home, perhaps, or if they went home they'd never be able to travel again. the fact that some of them have now been able to travel repeatedly i think is a good sign. but everyone still is fearful. >> as i am. so with that -- >> and we raised that issue. >> does anyone else have any issues or want to respond to any -- some of the issues as the policies begin to change what you see in the future as some of the consequences. not so much the reasons -- i'm wanting to move forward. where do we go from here? what do you see things that we need to look at as this policy has changed now? >> two points i would make are one, we certainly with treasury are doin

by afro-cubans. the full weight of tierney comes down upon them, but there seems to be a differentiation, and a focus and prejudice against afro-cubans, if you could speak to that. >> the appreciate your concern and interest today. and i appreciate that concern even from those who are in agreement with barack obama's policy. >> before i answer your question directly, i would like to reflect on something. and with all due respect for one of the panelists, i felt great pain a few months ago. i felt ill-at ease. to lin to the cuba situation being called bad but not that bad. >> translator: the situation in cuba is bad but not that bad. [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> translator: i really don't understand what you mean by saying the situation is bad but not all that bad. [ speaking in a foreign language ] and when you talk about cuban mothers, who go to sleep crying because they have no food for their kids the next day. i think of those young women that had to become prostitutes so they can feed th

on cuban civil society i think the thing that struck me in both a small meeting with cuban dissidents and then a much larger one including many members, 12 members of the 57 who were released 4 1/2 years ago are not able to travel. they're not permitted by the cuban government to travel. so i was able to see many of them and that has to change. they need to be able to travel. but what i was struck by -- i met with one of the younger members of this group. i was struck by the diversity views. some support these measures and the change in policy and some are obviously very strongly opposed. and i think that has to be respected and we want to hear from and continue to support all of them. the second thing is on the internet, i think that's really crucial and i don't know whether the cuban government will allow that opening. they've said they will. they said they're interested in telecommunications. it's obviously critical to economic progress. but i think that's why we have to aggressively try and make it possible for our companies to provide that service and see whether the cubans are w

private property rights and the claims by american cubans, cuban-americans, and cuban people in generalthat own the property nationalized by the federal government. how will we address that? i think private property rights is so important and is so -- is left out of this discussion and we talked about this in the office the other day. i think that is critical. we talk about the freedoms for the american -- the cuban people in the remaining 20 seconds i have. >> thank you. i agree with you all of those things are what we are seeking as an end. we agree that is the goal here. >> tell me how the policy gets us to the goal. >> number one by having a lot more people able to work with us on it from outside cuba than ever before. we were alone, we were not joined by anyone else. more effective with allies. number two we believe there were no concessions here. some of the things are things we are doing that deeply worried the cuban government because they may not be able to control them. we do not believe anything we did on december 17, as the president and secretary said were concessions to th

the view that the cubans left their country, the cubans were forced out. people were imprisoned. other people were executed. now you're repeating cuban government? >> difference you take property from those people who have been living there for 55 years? that is the same argument is that going on in eastern europe. >> you're changing argument. >> gentlemen, we do need to get to other questions. mr. herrero weigh in on cuban adjustment act. we'll go to the next question. >> last touchy subject of the cuban adjustment act. i agree with frank that criminals should be prosecuted and thrown in jail. but not having normalized diplomatic relation, not having banking relation, i mean having travel restrictions makes it hard to go after these people than than otherwise having these relations, right? if we're not, if it is just castro only, if we're not talking to the cubans, if we make it harder for law enforcement and others to go after the people on the island how will we ever get them cuban adjustment act enables this. as far as the cue bab adjustment act is concerned, it seems immoral

cuban government don't won't cuban work others to get paid 20 or 30 as?tion for these businessmenht because they don't havexd to peleay a labor union. if they do, they will be jail. we don't want cuba to be like china, we want cuba to be like the united states. why not? why couldn't cubans be like anybody else. the idea you're missing an opportunity. cuba has something the u.s. will never miss any opportunities, called nine miles. the island is not going to move anywhere. the cuban people have known for many years, the cuban people have known for many years the american people have been on their side. and now somebody's telling the cuban people that the american government is on the;zt side of raul castro. that's a disaster.ktbúnut;x#uté >> only two ways -- >> if i can just ask mr. herrera to weigh in on that. >> the two largest protestkp we have seen in the last two years in cuba were actually protests by entrepreneurs who were protesting -- that's the truth -- the ones with the largest -- frank, there was one with 500 people in the street, mostly entrep

help the cuban people of the ordinary cuban people you are not helping them. this is a society that has upheld themselves with this kind of business that they run. >> just to be clear the regulations are designed exactly to get items to the 15%. that's the way the regulation works so it can be exported without individual licenses having to go to the true private sector. >> in terms of millions of dollars. what do you think is going to benefit the cuban government and millions? >> we don't have a figure that would benefit the cuban government. our changes have been focused on private entrepreneurs and small scale business private business that we are talking about and again i repeat that most of the transactions between the united states and cuba remain prohibited under these exchanges. we just carved out a few areas as mr. subfour talks about their that are focused on the private entrepreneurs. >> if we go and sell lead to cuba are we going to buy sugar from cuba? there's no real crop of sugar in cuba anymore. cuba used to be the worlds leading supplier of sug

on cuban civil society, i think the thing that struck me in both the small meeting with cuban dissidents and then a much larger one including many members -- 12 members of the 57 who were released for a half years ago, are not able to travel. they are not permitted by the government to travel. so i was able to see many of them. and that has to change. they need to be able to travel but what i was struck by -- i also met with one of the younger members of this group. i was struck by the diversity of views. some support the change in policy and some are obviously very strongly opposed. i think that has to be respected, and we want to hear from and continue to support all of them. the second thing is on the internet, i think that is really crucial. and i do not know whether the cuban government will allow that opening. they have said they well. they said they are interested in telecommunications. it is obviously critical to economic progress. but i think that is why we have to address -- aggressively try and make it possible for our companies to provide that service and see whether the cuba

some cubans some leniency by the cuban government are making money. the fact of the matter is if you are a doctor in cuba you make more money being a taxi driver than practicing your profession. on top of that the cuban government has done more to being repressive against disdependents and opposition leaders than ever before. where do you draw the line of the government. >> why would we have negotiations with anyone in the world. i am sure a smart researchers like you can find a reason why we should never do anything with the chinese or negotiate with the iranians. i don't think anyone is arguing, this is a failed policy in cuba. we are trying to move it forward. what would you have america do to move it forward? >> one of the things for sure i would do is support the inter-american democratic charter in the oas calling for free elections and the rule of law, all of the things that are important and a big part of american values. you are right. there's no way the u.s. cuban embargo should be a cornerstone of u.s. policy. the united states can do more

others the cuban government used mariel as a way to consolidate interests for the cuban government. how did that happen? >> ladies and gentlemen -- you can hear me? shall we try again? at the time of mariel boatlift i owned a convalescent home in miami and my partner was a cuban and seventh day adventist nurse. all were cuban and no one spoke english and provocative i spoke little spanish but we managed. when the visitation started in the late seventies where they could go visit their relatives in cuba and bring clothing and goods and money, we got very involved obviously because our employees were very involved and it was the first time and they wanted to visit their relatives and so we sponsored a lot of them and sent a lot of clothing and sent a lot of money down to the -- to go with them with the families. well, as things progressed and of course everybody was very excited about that and they thought that was the beginning of opening things up well there were two schools of thought at that point in time and that was you had your cuban community, the pro predominantly white commu

this license exception is intended to support the cuban private sector and facilitate cuban citizenswer-priced access to consumer goods and gain greater independent axis from the state. others authorize others authorize the temporary export of persons leaving the united states of items for cultural ecological, historic preservation, scientific, or sporting activities authorizing the export of donated items to the cuban people and the export of items to human rights organizations individuals, or nongovernment organizations. these provisions implement the president's goals of harnessing people to people engagement. as the as the president observed, nobody represents american values better than the american people. to implement the president's goal by increasing access to information primarily through the internet license exception authorizes the export a cube of items for the establishment and upgrade of telecommunication related systems in addition to telecommunication devices a related division authorizes the export of certain items for use by news media personnel and us newsreels en

miss jacobson, americans paid in blood for cuban independence. we got a base in gaunt gaunts -- guantanamo that's valuable to our national security. are you prepared, and hopefully this is a yes or no question, to say right now this administration will not abandon return, or fail to pay the modest fee so that we can have that naval base for the next two years? >> i don't see that discussion taking place. >> that's not what i was asking for. that was in your testimony. what -- can you make a commitment? you got to see it from our side here. we were shocked, so you telling me that you're not thinking of something means i got to get shocked tomorrow. the administration was so angry that they hadn't been consulted on bringing one guy to speak here. there was not a lot of consultation on this change of cuba policy. would the administration object to language in our appropriations bill designed to make it impossible for this administration to

and cuban governments agree. the u.s.oesn't agree. >> relations remain stable for 50 years and then the cuban revolution and it was the beginning of a hostile relationship and the trickiest question what to do with all of the cubans that worked there. and it is working on the base and commuted to the other side of the fence. and a number of the cubans had opposition to the new rev lougzary government and wanted to stay on the base and eventually hundreds of cubans came to live on the base full-time. >> no one had any idea how long they would be in guantanamo. >> the kennedy administration said you can stay until it is resolved and they are surprised to find them there. >> height of the population. hundreds of cubans living there and now only two dozen living around. >> they have ended up in a place is as good as they hope. all of them have u.s. citizenship but live on guantanamo bay because they feel at home. >> the youngest one in the the 70s and the oldest one in the 90s. they have lived out entire adult live confined t

he is doing it at -- cuban regime.hey are doing it at a time when venezuela can't continue supporting them and it comes a the a perfect time to bail out a 56-year-old dictatorship. that is not what america is about. >> what was behind this sudden surprising change in american policy? when we return we look at who gave what to make this cuba reset happen. the pm pain reliever. that dares to work all the way until... [birds chirping] the am. new aleve pm. it's the first to combine a safe sleep aid plus the 12 hour strength of aleve. for pain relief that can last all the way until morning. new aleve pm, for a better am. [ salesman ] congrats on the new car. [ woman ] thanks. the dealership reviews on cars.com made it easy, but... [ man ] we thought it might be a little more tense. you miss the drama? yeah. [ technician ] ask him whatever you want. okay. ♪ ♪ do you think my sister's prettier than me? ♪ ♪ [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] research, price, find. only cars.com helps you get the right car without all the drama. st

e discussions with the cuban government. i am hopeful and i think most americans are hopeful that the president can engage in real and substantive negotiations with the cuban government and will pass than united states invented the cuban people. like most americans i remain deeply concerned about the long records of human rights abuses that have been caused at the hands of the cuban dictatorship. while our current policy brings about change cuba as we update our policy or think we have to make sure we are doing it in a measured comprehensive and thoughtful way that aligns with the current reality. my hope is that the president efforts are met with honest engagement by the cuban government for more open free and tolerant society for the cuban people. three questions in a fight you to respond. the first is there has been a lot of talk about what the neighbors are allies in the region have identified a problem with it cuban u.s. policy so what is really the best way we can engage some of these partners in the region who now can

where cubans in cuban-americans wished me luck and said god bless you. during talks will work clear that our governments have shared interest and sharp differences. on practical issues such as establishing direct mail service, we agreed to continue dialogue and deepen cooperation but this administration is under no illusions about the nature of the cuban government. i also raced with cuban officials are concerned about their harassment, use of violence, and arbitrary detention of cuban citizens peacefully expressing their views and that with dissidents entrepreneurs and independent media voice is to talk about with their needs are from their government and from us. we will continue to use our diplomatic efforts to encourage our allies now more likely to move with us to take every opportunity to support increased respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in cuba. as the president has said, the u.s. believes that no cuban should face harassment or arrest or beatings simply because they are exercising the universal right to have their voices heard a

-cuban relations. chris smith chairs this hearing. >>> good morning to everyone and welcome to this very timely and important hearing on human rights in cuba. we are here to examine the state of human rights which is a very timely topic indeed given the obama administrations change in policy towards cuba announced the end of last year. we are here to ask whether in undertaking this change in policy the obama administration used the considerable leverage that it wields to seek to better the condition of the cuban people, or whether as i fear as one opportunity squandered in haste to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough and even create a legacy for the president. thus it is not only about castro regime accountability but also the obama administration's role in reminding the world that the cuba remains a communist dictatorship. and i would underscore an estimated 178 political dissidents in the last month alone. and one whose cadeo raul castro would not change in response to the obama administration's recess

the view that the cubans left their country, the cubans were forced out. people were imprisoned, people were executed and now you are repeating -- >> you're going to take the property from the people living in it for 55 years? that is the same argument in eastern europe. >> you're changing the argument. >> we do need to get to other questions. >> going back to the last of the subject of the cuban adjustment, i agree with frank that criminals should be prosecuted and thrown in jail. but not having normalized diplomatic relationships, not having banking relations, of incredible restrictions makes it -- having travel restrictions makes it harder to go after these people than otherwise having these relations because if it is just cash only if we make it harder for law enforcement to go after these people, how are we going to get them? the cuban adjustment act allows this and so does the embargo. it seems very immoral at this juncture to say we are going to close the door to everyone else trying to come here seeking a better life's though the same regime is sti

cuban doctors go where they are needed. no matter if it's to haiti after an earthquake or to africa to help with the current ebola--crisis. and they often outnumber their western colleagues. so when brazil launched a program to bridge its gap of medical staff, havanna heeded that call, too, and sent doctors in their thousands. but there's a catch -- two-thirds of their salaries go to the cuban government. so is this humanitarian assistance or a form of modern day slavery, as some believe? our reporter found some diverse views on whether cuban doctors should become such a vital part of brazil's health care system. >> guia lopes da laguna is an impoverished town in the far west of brazil. thirteen thousand people eke out a living here, not far from the border with paraguay. a place of modest appeal, it's difficult to get doctors to come here. there's a medical centre, but there's not always been a doctor -- despite the pressing need for health care. but luckily, a new doctor arrived in the small town a few months ago and he's

nothing is going to happen to the property taken friday cubans or other foreigners not just cubans.ts on my mother's side were spanish immigrants. they built up a life and suddenly lost it all. as long as the castro regime is in power it's going to be verve hard if not impossible for cubans to get back any of their property. >> you are a professor of history well educated, you know the story, it's personal to you. your father died 14 years after you left, you were not able to attend his funeral. as a student of history what do you do as you look back at this 50 years of what appears to be failed u.s. policy. do you think it should continue? >> oh yeah, i definitely think it should continue. i don't think it failed. the policy stems from the confiscation of property bit it was really set up and maintained for security reasons for the containment of a rogue regime that has allied itself continuously for over 50 years with all the worst enemies of the united states. that's why the embargo was in place. most people don't know that there really hasn't been an embargo, before the embargo

the cuban people will drive reforms and that's why we lifted restrictions to make it easier for cuban americans to travel and send remittances to travel and open new pathways for ak 2ke78ic and people to people exchanges. the flow of information within cuba. nobody represents american values better and increase people to people contact and empower and reduce their dependence on the cuban state. the regulatory changes will increase resources to support the cuban people and the private sector. it may enable companies to expand telecommunications and internet access. us policy will no longer be a barrier to connectivity in cuba. two week ago i made a trip to cuba that helped me understand the burden and hope embodied in this policy when average cubans and cuban americans wished me luck or said god bless you. during talks we were clear that we have both shared interest and sharp differences. on practical issues such as establishing direct mail service or oil spill mitigation we agreed to continue and deepen cooperation. this administration is under no illusions about the nature of the cub

because coming back to the 15% of the cuban population and the cuban communist private sector, we're looking to grow that with these opportunities. that's certainly something we'll look at very carefully. >> i would echo those comments. i think the implementation is what we'll be looking at over the next few months to see what the effects are and what we need to do to make -- >> as a member also because of my own concerns and also because of the concerns of the communities i represent, i've been a very active member of the tom lantos human rights commission, i have adopted prisoners of conscience in vietnam, actually put pressure on the vietnamese government to begin to release some of these prisoners. i would like to see some of the same efforts increase as we go forward with change policy in cuba. thank you and i yield back. >> thank you, mr. lowenthal. we go to mr. brooks of alabama. >> thank you madam chairman. i believe that america's policies should be consistent throughout the globe as best that we can do so. and by way of example i would like to just make a quick comparison b

it's cuban government. it's the cuban intelligence service who's doing that. and we should not ignore that. >> mr. duran, do you want to -- >> yeah. i think that we're very close to see the end of the cuban adjustment act. i think there's a strong feeling not only in congress, but even in politicians here in south florida, even in these conoco mission in miami-dade county there were some expressions to that effect. as far as medicare fraud there's medicare fraud all over the united states. it's just not cubans who are committing medicare fraud. it's a crime, and it should be punished. but the cuban adjustment act is something that its time has passed, and i think that there's very strong sentiment among u.s. and congress and among florida politicians that it's about time to end. and for the first time i think in the past couple of months we are hearing a debate about that even in the miami-dade county commission. >> next question. oh, i'm sorry. go ahead. >> hi. with all the, with all the demands that raul castro has made on the united states recently, i'm jus

and it was a great shock to the cuban people. and there was the fall of the berlin wall and the execution. the trial with raul castro as the judge is a great, great hero of cuba and then his ultimate execution by firing squad. the theory in cuba on the island was that this happened because because ka was trafficking drugs and they needed to use him as a scapegoat to void any possible repercussions. you get rid of this program. they had been subsidizing by participating in trafficking. it's horrible. so i think the book contributes to that debate at the very least until we can get greater amounts of information. >> another element with ochoa was he was the fall guy by the united states. >> for drug trafficking. >> for drug trafficking. and in the book sergio pen onexplains trafficking. >> for drug he and arturo cobow were very involved in the operation. >> the head of cuba's navy was also. >> carlos santa maria. they were all involved. but it was the state department didn't want to believe anything. and the f.b.i., what we found i

the cuban government wants. the cuban government wants the embargo lifted, they want to be removed from the list of countries that support international terrorism despite the fact that in cuba, an american terrorist who killed a police officer escaped to cuba and if you go to the fbi website you will see that one of those terrorists is one of the 10 most wanted. cuba is the only country in the list of countries that support terrorism who has publicly acknowledged that there is a murderer of american police officer was welcome better. -- who is welcome there. the other thing, i wanted to say something which again, when you hear the cuban government talk, they say that the american foreign-policy on cuba is based on south florida. as is the cuban americans have not earned the right to have a point of view. -- as if the cuban americans have not only right to have a point of view. cuban americans have been here for 50 years, they pay taxes they serve in the armed forces, they have a point of view. if you want to go

it has greater hardship for cuban citizens for normal cubans but it does not force the cuban governmentnge its policies or correct anything. in many ways it's offered the government a rationale to crack down. so the policy hasn't succeeded in bringing change in cuban government. at the same time it has relegated the united states both the u.s. government and u.s. society to the sidelines. and so the policy of isolation has failed i think it's pretty clear he has, the question is what about a policy engagement? no one thinks the policy of engagement is a magic solution to the human rights problem in cuba but it's clear that historically series of engage with cuba our peers in which we have seen little relaxation, particularly the release of prisoners. under president carter during the time pope john paul ii visited, during the 2012 caucus with the church and the spanish government, all three of them sought significant relief. and the past month following extensive talks been cuba and the u.s. government, 53 political prisoners were released, something the release of a but on amnesty inte

so what is for a simple cuban to do? arguing the point continue telling that we must have a dialogue with the cuban people, continue saying that after the two or three historical figures in cuba are dead and there's only two or three that are still walking around, changes will come about. and they're going to be generational changes. and the united states government and the cuban people in exile must begin a dialogue with those who are going to be the next generation of government in cuba. that's the only thing that's going to bring about a better cuba normalization, civil rights and political rights to all cubans. [ applause ] >> if i could ask you to refrain from applause please. mr. callson, when president obama announced that he wanted to reestablish political ties with cuba, you thought he couldn't have made this decision at a worse time because cuba seems to be at one of its weakest points in terms of international patrons, that its latest patron venezuela is on the ropes and that, therefore, this was the moment to

grading institutions that allow cuban people to participate only they can empower the cuban people,not our foreign policy. >> did you have -- mr. calzon you want to make a rebuttal to what mr. herrero just that but if i could ask you first though to follow up on what the mayor the point you just made with another point that you have made, this can't work because we simply gave too much away to the cubans from the outset. we made too many concessions without asking enough from in return and that was when if you could address that point? >> if you like what the president has done and what the president is talking about doing, is basically what the cuban government has been asking for a long time. when you hear some folks talking about cuba policy you have to put that on a blackboard and say, this is what the cuban government wants. a cuban government wanted the embargo lifted. the cuban government wants to be removed from the list of countries that support international terrorism, despite the fact that into the there are american terrorists who kill american police officers who went t

there's ties with cuban americans -- >> who for the most part, based on the polling we have seen cubanricans are not interested in a failure to free the island and see no quid pro quo, no reciprocity whatsoever in this deal, at least as articulated, i don't know what's been negotiated but articulated publicly by this administration. do you? >> i think there's a split in the cuban american community. the younger cubans want to see a change in policy on the embargo. the older cubans want the status quo. i think the point is going to be how this new relationship evolves. i think it makes sense to open up the relationship with cuba. >> i get kind of a kick out of the cuban american thing to be honest with you. i've got the greatest respect for cuban americans but it would be like saying you want the irish in boston deciding what u.s. policy is with ireland, for crying out loud. i mean what sense does that make? >> no but lou there is a lot of other involvements that we have had with cuba. . . . kennedy, the missile crisis. it's a strategic area. we don't want iran, we don't want russia, we

and the number of cubans in the united states, and cuban americans is significant. given that relationship and that fluidity and that geographic reality, i think that there is a great possibility that there'll be change in cuba going forward, and the fact that it will be accompanied by really a host of democracies, of the americas. >> pushing for change. >> yes. now the burden is on all of us not just the united states canada but south america, the caribbean. all the countries if they want to bring cuba in will have to take charge to ensure that cuba goes through a transformation. >> let's hope it happens. ambassador pleasure to have you with us. >> thank you. the u.s. is finding an unlikely ally in the fight against i.s.i.l. a group labelled a terrorist organization by the state department is battling on the same side as the u.s.-led coalition. we'll look at the repercussions of that. >> angry protesters take to the streets in jordan after i.s.i.l. murders a jordanian pilot. why the role in the coalition is creating so much division in that country. >>> welcome bac

the cuban government jams medium and short-waived signals. here we don't here anything because of the frequency. we can't here it. >> u.s. government employees text the cellphones. yet, despite all of that a recent congressional report found 2% of cubans are listening. that doesn't mean there isn't talk of change in the streets of havana. this is something people are adverse to discuss. there are places in havana a hot corner you see one they are heated. people discuss what is happening in their community. these are the areas that the miami community and radio martes hope to target. the buzz is creating much. especially in those hot groups. they are talking about politics. if you listen long enough it's politics and baseball. president obama's new policy opens the door to remittances. he's proposing taking the office of human broadcasting off the payroll. congress has to approve the plan. many of miami's hard liners may be forced to play a new game with an old foe. >> we are joined now. great story. we talked about the u.s.a. ie money, govern

a cuban jail is really like. but we want -- we are thankful that he is home but we could ask someone like mr. guzman, who is in the audience today, he served 22 years in castro's prison. and mr. smith, i would like to request unanimous consent to submit into the record a letter from the international committee of former cuban political prisoners based in new jersey documenting a list of the many cubans still languishing in castro's ghoul ag and thank you to mr. guzman for pointing that out. >> without objection. >> thank you so much very much for convening this important hearing for your unyielding and passionate commitment to human rights, to freedom. not just for the oppressed people of cuba but for all people everywhere who suffer under oppressive regimes and who continue to seek the most basic and fundamental rights for many people that they take for granted. everywhere there is an oppressed person a political prison, there you will find mr. smith. so i thank you for that. i also want to welcome our wonderful

cuban ties. we have worked together with our public and members. monday we were in the house with jeff flake and jerry moran and now we are in the senate working on these issues. we met regularly and we will continue to try to do that to foster this process. this is a historic opportunity. we need to foster the kind of change that will be critical for the united states and for cuba. congresswoman anna eshoo. >> thank you. good afternoon everyone. thank you madam leader for calling us together today and for having the important sense of time and putting together a delegation at this time from the house to cuba and then onto the dominican republic and to haiti. i will be very brief on my roll and part of this outstanding delegation and that is that i think there is one word that really is operative that describes each country discussions and that is the word future. each country just as we do look forward to the future and how to shape it. and so in cuba where broadband is practically nonexistent i not only raised the issue but spoke about how transf