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Williams optimistic about relations with Cuba

The president of an advocacy group lobbying to end the embargo on Cuba says he’s optimistic about working with the Trump administration.

James Williams with Engage Cuba says President-elect Trump was elected by Rural Americans, many of whom have strong ties to the agricultural community.

While Trump campaigned on promises of job creation and strengthening the economy, he also pledged to reverse the advancements in relations with Cuba made by President Obama.  “We take campaign rhetoric as campaign rhetoric and think that the last thing he was going to want to do was  close down a market for American farmers and hold back progress that’s benefitting U.S. businesses and the everyday Cuban.” He tells Brownfield the death of Fidel Castro is an opportunity to reflect on the past but should be a chance to look to the future.

Williams tells Brownfield the death of Fidel Castro is an opportunity to reflect on the past but should be a chance to look to the future.   “To realize that Cuba is more than just one man, it’s a country of 11 million people who have their own dreams and aspirations, and it’s a market, because of him in many ways, that was closed off to us for 55 years, and those times are over.”  Williams says there is pending legislation in front of Congress that would benefit both American farmers and Cuba.

Williams says there is currently legislation in front of Congress that would benefit both American farmers and Cuba.

Williams says there is currently legislation in front of Congress that would benefit both American farmers and Cuba.  “All he needs to do is indicate that he supports this to legislators that are listening, the Members of Congress support this, and we can get people to work.  We can have a new market for our products and I very much hope that Congress will fulfill its requirements to its American farmers and get something done.”

Cuba imports nearly 2-billion-dollars of food a year and Williams says with depressed prices, America can’t afford to not have access to that market.