February 26, 1996
Web posted at: 7:35 p.m. EST
WASHINGTON (CNN) President Clinton issued economic sanctions Monday to punish Cuba for shooting down two small civilian planes flown by anti-Castro Cuban-Americans.
The sanctions are economic measures designed to sever monetary ties between the United States and Cuba and to bring the message of democracy to Cuban citizens. Clinton did not announce military measures -- such as a blockade -- as some anti-Castro activists had hoped he would.
Clinton began a briefing announcing the sanctions by condemning Cuba's actions Saturday.
"This shooting of civilian aircraft out of the air was a flagrant violation of international law. It was wrong and U.S. will not tolerate it," he said adding that the attack is "further evidence that Havana has become more desperate in its efforts to deny freedom to the people of Cuba." (174K AIFF sound or 174K WAV sound)
Shortly before Clinton announced the sanctions, Ricardo
Alarcon, president of the Cuban National Assembly, justified
Cuba's actions. Speaking in Cuba, he insisted the planes
flown by Brothers to the Rescue had violated Cuban airspace.
He said his government had recovered debris from the planes
but refused to disclose what, if anything, is known about the
fate of the four pilots on the planes.
(286K AIFF sound or
286K WAV sound)
The president said he would ask Congress to use frozen Cuban
assets to compensate families of the four missing pilots shot
down Saturday.
He said he would work with Congress to pass the so-called Helms-Burton legislation which would tighten the existing U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.
He did not address his prior objection to a provision in the proposed legislation allowing U.S. citizens to sue companies doing business with Cuba. He said only he would seek to "enhance the effectiveness of the embargo in a way that would advance the cause of democracy in Cuba."
Clinton said he had ordered the U.S.-based Radio Marti to expand its reach to tell Cubans "the truth of the regime in Havana." Cuba has been jamming signals from Radio Marti which broadcasts programs intended to promote democracy in Cuba.
Finally, the president said, the U.S. would further restrict U.S. travel by Cuban officials and suspend indefinitely all charter flights between the U.S. and Cuba.
"In our time, democracy has swept the globe from the Philippines, exactly 10 years ago, to central and eastern Europe to South Africa to Haiti, to all but one nation in our hemisphere. I will do everything to make sure this historic tide reaches the shores of Cuba." Clinton said.
The president applauded the European Union's strong condemnation of Cuba's actions Saturday and efforts by Madeleine Albright, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to pursue international sanctions against Cuba.
Clinton expressed condolences to the families of the missing pilots and said he reserves the right to issue further sanctions against Cuba as necessary. (141K AIFF sound or 141K WAV sound)
Damasco Rodriguez, a reporter for WAQI Radio in Miami, said many Cuban Americans who had hoped for stronger measures would be disappointed with the Clinton administration's response to the attack.
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