Top U.S. official meets Cuban dissidents, receives both praise and scorn

Top U.S. official meets Cuban dissidents, receives both praise and scorn

The Cuban government voiced their displeasure at the meeting, but noted that it would not stop them from attempting to normalize ties with the United States.

A top-ranking U.S. official is paying a visit to Cuba, meeting with dissidents now that diplomatic relations are open with the country for the first time since the height of the Cold War.

Robert Jacobson, who is the top official for Latin America within the U.S. State Department, met with seven government critics in a luxurious mansion in the U.S. Interests Section of Havana, Cuba’s capital, according to a France24 report.

She later met with a dissident blogger by the name of Yoani Sanchez, and the two discussed the current state of independent journalism in Cuba, where the government is notoriously hard on those who step out of line.

Jacobson made the appearance a day after landmark talks with Cuban officials, and the two sides agreed to have another meeting in the future in the hopes of normalizing relations ever since they broke off all the way back in 1961.

Jacobson met with the dissidents in order to understand how people truly felt about the new policy.

One prominent dissident, the head of the Ladies in White group, which represents spouses of political prisoners, declined the invitation because she felt that those who participated did not represent diverse opinions on the subject.

Jacobson did not bring up the absence of Soler, noting instead that she was happy to be conducting the meeting and hearing their perspectives.

The Cuban government did not appreciate the gathering, but noted that it would not stop their efforts to normalize ties with the United States. Cuba’s chief negotiator Josefina Vidal told MSNBC that the people she met with “don’t represent Cuban society” or represent the people’s interests.

Those who attended the meeting asked Jacobson to maintain solidarity with Cuban dissidents and the people, noting that the question of whether to not the group welcomes dialogue between the two nations is a secondary one.

Cuban’s dissident community hasn’t agreed on whether normalization relations will be good for the nation in the long run. Some have welcome the move, but others are worried that the United States ultimately gave away too much to the Cuban regime, and didn’t get much back.

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