CANF officials to meet with Carter on upcoming Cuba visit

Posted 9:09PM on Thursday 2nd May 2002 ( 23 years ago )

MIAMI, FLORIDA - A delegation from the Cuban American National Foundation traveled to Atlanta Thursday to meet with former President Jimmy Carter and encourage him to push human rights and democracy during his upcoming visit to Cuba. CANF Chairman Jorge Mas Santos was to present Carter with a letter outlining issues the group wants addressed with Cuban President Fidel Castro. Mas wouldn't give specifics but said that the letter focused on human rights, democracy and elections. CANF is opposed to Castro and his communist government. ``Our fear is that this trip becomes a referendum on U.S.-Cuba policy,'' he said. ``There's a true opportunity to talk about human rights. That's what his trip needs to be about.'' The delegation, which included CANF's president, Francisco Jose ``Pepe'' Hernandez, met with the former president at his nonprofit Carter Center in Atlanta for about an hour Thursday before returning to Miami, said CANF executive director Joe Garcia. ``Jimmy Carter's legacy is human rights,'' Garcia said. If he travels to Cuba without focusing on human rights, ``it would be a failure,'' he said. During his 1977-1981 presidency, Carter slightly eased diplomatic and travel restrictions to Cuba and promoted the opening of interests sections missions that perform basic consular services in the absence of full embassies in both Havana and Washington. Carter will head a delegation to the communist island May 12-17, making him the first American president in or out of office to visit Cuba during Castro's 43 years in power. Staff members at the Carter Center have said that Carter plans to discuss human rights in separate meetings with Cuban leaders and dissidents. Last week, Castro told a group of visiting Americans that he will invite Carter to address a large group of Cubans on any topic he wants.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/5/195200