Excerpts From the Daily Press Briefing Pertaining to Western Hemisphere Affairs Full Briefing
QUESTION: On another subject, this week is another anniversary of the –
Cuba’s imprisonment of the 75 dissidents, and I wonder whether – are you planning anything or any awareness or any comments to the Cuban Government, or have you any position?
MR. WOOD: Sorry, could you repeat the last part of that? I didn’t quite --
QUESTION: Whether you are planning to make any comments to the Cuban Government or anything for international awareness or --
MR. WOOD: You’re talking about the Black Spring? Is that what you’re referring to specifically? Let me just read you a little something I have for you.
Today represents the sixth anniversary of the Cuban Government’s arrest and prosecution of 75 journalists, human rights monitors, librarians and other civil society activists across the island.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
MR. WOOD: I’m sorry?
MR. WOOD: Oh, okay, 75 --
QUESTION: I thought you said Liberians.
MR. WOOD: Did I say Liberians?
QUESTION: No. Librarians. (Laughter.)
MR. WOOD: Librarians. Sorry. Hang with us, Matt. (Laughter.)
Okay, let me just continue. The 75 were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 14 to 30 years1 for their non-violent advocacy of political, social, and economic reforms in Cuba. Fifty-five of the original2 75 detainees remain in prison, many of them under harsh conditions. We call upon the Cuban Government to immediately release these and other political prisoners being held in Cuban jails, and to undertake measures to improve human rights conditions in Cuba.
-------------------
QUESTION: On
Mexico, this is about the Mexican decision to impose tariffs on almost, I guess, like, 90 percent of American goods going forward. Obviously, Secretary Clinton will be discussing a wide range of issues when she goes there, and not just about the security, but about the economic relationship. And I mean, how much of a factor is this going to be when she goes there? Is she going to be trying to get the government to reverse its decision? And how much do you think this could affect American business and, indeed, the world economy?
MR. WOOD: Well, we certainly hope it won’t have any impact on American business. But one of the things that has happened is President Obama has tasked the Department of Transportation, along with the State Department, members of Congress, working with the Mexican Government to try to come up with a new transportation, you know, trucking scheme that can be agreed to so that we can move beyond this. But I don’t expect that there’s going to be any significant impact on U.S. businesses. We certainly don’t want to see that happen. But it’s something that we will be having – it is something that will be the topic of discussion with the Government of Mexico.
QUESTION: I mean, if implemented, you don’t think it would have an impact on American businesses? Senator McCain said it would be devastating.
MR. WOOD: What I’m saying is I’m hoping that there will not be a significant impact on American business. You know, we just have to try to work this through with the Mexican Government. That’s what we’re going to try to do, because it’s – obviously, it’s of great concern to not just business, but other Americans.
QUESTION: So you’re hoping that you can come to some arrangement so that this doesn’t happen, because if it does, it would hurt Americans?
MR. WOOD: Well, it would certainly --
QUESTION: Really?
MR. WOOD: I just don’t know – I don’t think there would be a significant impact, but let’s see. I mean, we’re trying to work through this issue diplomatically. And that’s all I’ve got for you on it.
[2] Fifty-four of the original
