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<div style="display: block;" id="reader-header" class="header"> <b><small><small><small><small><a
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<h1 id="reader-title">Cuba’s first American Embassy Secretary in
50 years visits Bay Area - El Tecolote</h1>
<div id="reader-credits" class="credits"><span class="post-meta
date">February 25, 2016 </span></div>
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<p><em>Miguel Fraga, the first secretary of the newly
reestablished Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C., will
be touring the San Francisco Bay Area from March 7-11,
engaging audiences as he speaks on Cuban-U.S.
relations. El Tecolote had the pleasure of asking Mr.
Fraga various questions regarding his job post, and
upcoming tour.</em></p>
<p><strong>Mr. Fraga, what is your job as the secretary of
the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C.? And what do you
hope to accomplish as the embassy’s first secretary?</strong></p>
<p>First of all I’d like to thank you for the opportunity
to talk about the work we do in this country as Cuban
diplomats. I’d also like to take this moment to say
hello to all of El Tecolote’s readers.</p>
<p>On the topic of my work, I can say that I’m a Cuban
diplomat who has the highest duty of representing my
government, which fortunately is offset because it comes
hand in hand with the great honor of representing my
people. Cuba is the result of its people, the daily
effort of human beings who live in a society that seeks
justice for its children, and which contains equal
opportunities for all of its citizens in its premises.
Cuba is not perfect, but displays with humility what
millions of people in this world aspire.</p>
<p>It’s the Cuba with a life expectancy of 79 years. With
an infant mortality rate of 4.3 per thousand live
births. With virtually 100 percent of it’s people being
literate. The country, which according to the United
Nations’ Human Development Index, ranks 44th among 187
countries. It’s the nation that has met most of the
Millennium Development Goals set by the U.N. itself. But
it’s also the people who believe and preach solidarity.
Our country today has more than 50,000 health workers in
68 countries. More than 68,000 students from 157
countries have graduated from schools in Cuba. I could
cite many other examples, but the important thing is
that we know through our work we have been able to win
the affection, respect and admiration of millions of
people worldwide.</p>
<p>For those and other reasons I consider it a privilege
to be a Cuban diplomat. Specifically here in the United
States we work to achieve the results that demonstrate
what we all know, that with respect and will, Cuba and
the United States can have normal relations.</p>
<p><strong>What is the purpose of your tour? And what drew
you to the San Francisco Bay Area?</strong><br>
The purpose of my visit to San Francisco is to exchange
the current relations between Cuba and the United
States. Right now there is major interest in learning
about Cuba. I think there is a lot of misinformation
about Cuba that exists. Cuba is much more than the
headlines and what is superficially reflected my most
media. However, despite the misinformation, almost all
opinion polls in the U.S. show that most Americans
support the reconciliation between our two countries.
We’ve felt the affection for Cuba in the U.S. and we can
say that despite more than 50 years of differences, in
Cuba there is no ill will.</p>
<p><strong>With the reopening of diplomatic relations
between the United States and Cuba, in what ways is
U.S. policy towards Cuba changing? And what does that
mean for the Cuban people?</strong><br>
This is precisely part of what I want to explain during
my exchanges. Cuba and the United States have restored
diplomatic relations but we don’t have normal relations.
The embargo, which we call a blockade, remains. The U.S.
cannot travel freely to Cuba. Despite the great interest
that exists in boosting bilateral trade, numerous
obstacles remain under U.S. law. To cite just one
example, it is forbidden by law that the United States
grant credits to Cuba for the purchase of agricultural
products.</p>
<p>In another major issue, Cuba cannot exercise full
sovereignty over its entire territory as the United
States maintains, contrary to the will of the Cuban
people, the territory of the Guantanamo Naval Base.</p>
<p>Cuba has reiterated its willingness to work for the
normalization of relations, but it’s necessary to
address and find solutions for these important and
pending issues.</p>
<p><strong>We’ve all heard how stories about the impact
the blockade has had on the Cuban people. How do you
think the lives of Cubans in both countries will be
affected by reestablishing diplomatic relations?</strong><br>
According to the United States Census, this country has
2 million Cuban Americans. It’s an integrated community
over various generations. Cuban migration to the United
States didn’t come just with the Revolution of 1959, it
predates it. Most of this community also favors that
better relations exist between our countries.</p>
<p>Regarding the impact of the blockade, I believe that
unfortunately there is no real understanding of the
ravages. The blockade mainly affects the people of Cuba
and can be classified as an act of genocide. The
blockade is an economic war. The blockade is not the
cause of all our problems but it’s the main obstacle to
Cuba’s economic development. This isn’t a bilateral
issue between Cuba and the United States. The U.N.
General Assembly has called for the lifting of the
blockade for the last 24 years. Last year there was a
record vote where 191 countries voted in favor and only
2 against. During my presentations I also want to
elaborate on this topic. More than 70 percent of the
current Cuban population knows no other reality than
living under the impact of the blockade. Although the
president of the United States can minimize the effects
of the blockade, only Congress can remove it. This is
important for the American people to know. Today both in
the Senate and in the House of Representatives, there
are favorable proposed laws towards bilateral relations
that would help end the blockade.</p>
<p>We firmly believe that the normalization of relations
between Cuba and the United States provides
opportunities for both countries and that both peoples
want it. To achieve this, we will continue working with
professionalism. That is the commitment.</p>
<p>I invite you to join me on this tour of San Francisco
and reiterate my gratitude for this opportunity.</p>
<p><em><strong>Monday, March 7:</strong></em></p>
<p><em>7 p.m. Sonoma State University, 1801 E Cotati Ave,
Rohnert Park, CA (Room TBA) </em></p>
<p><em><strong>Tuesday, March 8:</strong></em></p>
<p><em>12 p.m. Chabot College 25555 Hesperian Blvd.
Hayward, CA (Room 804) </em></p>
<p><em>4:10 p.m San Francisco State University, 1600
Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA (Room TBA) </em></p>
<p><em><strong>Wednesday, March 9:</strong></em></p>
<p><em>12 p.m. Merritt College 12500 Campus Drive,
Oakland, CA (Room A 206) </em></p>
<p><em><strong>Thursday, March 10:</strong></em></p>
<p><em>11:10 a.m. College of Marin, Fusselman Hall 206,
835 College Ave., New Academic Center (Room 240) </em></p>
<p><em><strong> Friday, March 11</strong></em></p>
<p><em>7 p.m. Madeline F. Whittlesey Community Room, 325
Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA Adjacent to Richmond
Public Library</em></p>
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