The European Union has lifted sanctions against Cuba.
The E.U. took action against the island back in 2003, in protest of the Cuban government’s imprisonment of more than 70 dissidents.
EU External Relations Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, stated that the member states wanted to promote change in Cuba after Raul Casto took over.
She adds, “There will be very clear language also on what the Cubans still have to do… releasing prisoners, really working on human rights questions. There will be a sort of review to see whether indeed something will have happened.”
Ferrero-Waldner adds that the EU would continue to monitor human rights conditions.
However, several top Cuban dissidents have criticized the decision.
During a recent BBC interview, one of the founding members of the dissident group Ladies in White, Miriam Leiva, expressed her thoughts about the move being unwarranted as Raul had not made any significant moves towards creating a more democratic society.
And unlike the US embargo that’s been in place for over 45 years, the EU sanctions are largely symbolic as they don’t really restrict on any investments or trades.
What do U think?
Should the EU have removed its sanctions?
Should the US remove it’s embargo????
[Image via WENN.]
