Mack to President Santos: The Cuban People Deserve Democracy

Statement

Connie Mack, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and lead of the bipartisan Congressional delegation to the Summit of the Americas, reacts to comments by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos during the summit on Cuba's participation at future hemispheric meetings.

Mack stated:

"As a leader who has struggled to preserve and protect democracy for his own people and promote regional economic integration through passage of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, we want to see President Santos succeed and we are on his side. But a leader must stand for what is right. There should be zero tolerance for military dictatorships in this - or any - hemisphere. I agree with President Santos that the Cuban people should be represented at the Summit of the Americas. But it should be by a democratically elected government that respects the human and political rights of its people, not a regime that chooses to isolate itself by refusing to respect the democratic standards by which the other 34 out of 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere abide. That is certainly not too much to ask, and it is the least that the Cuban people deserve."

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