McCaskill Ending Cuban Embargo Is Part of Path to Reform

Missouri senator Claire McCaskill says lifting ther US trade embargo with Cuba would be the best way to pressure Cuba to reform its government.
McCaskill spoke to KMBC TV Tuesday about her trip to Cuba two weekend ago.
It will be up to Congress to lift the embargo.
”The Cuban government is using this embargo as an excuse, as to why they cannot provide prosperity to the people of Cuba. We need to rip away that excuse. Then the people will be in a better position to hold their government accountable,” she said in the interview.
McCaskill admitted lifting the 53-year old embargo “will not happen overnight,”.
But she’s optimistic that a bipartisan group of lawmakers will eventually end the embargo.
McCaskill says Missouri’s agricultural economy has a lot to offer Cuba. At one time,Missouri exported considerable rice to Cuba.
She says restoring trade will be good for the Missouri economy.
She noted the US has no difficulty trading with other repressive governments around the world..
Mccaskill also noted that there are some small business in Cuba that do function on their own.
“We saw a young woman who had bought one sewing machine, and then another sewing machine and then another. And was making and selling baby clothes. Not working for the state, working for herself,” McCaskill remembered.
The Missouri push to Cuba continues next week when Governor Jay Nixon joins another trade Mission to the island.