Congressional Democrats Meet with Cuban Officials to Discuss Normalizing Relations
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Marcio Silva/iStock/Thinkstock(HAVANA) — Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., led a delegation of U.S. politicians to Cuba this past weekend to support President Obama’s announcement last month of normalizing relations between the two nations.
The trip began on Saturday, with Sens. Leahy, Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. and Reps. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Peter Welch, D-Vt. traveling to the island nation. While in Cuba, the group, all of whom have been to Cuba before, hoped to “discuss our expectations, and the Cubans’ expectations, for the normalization of relations.
“We want to explore opportunities for greater cooperation, and to encourage Cuban officials to address issues of real concern to the American people and to their representatives in Congress,” a statement from Leahy’s office read.
The trip included meetings with Cuban government officials and other nations’ ambassadors to Cuba.
The congressmen are scheduled to return to Washington on Monday.
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