Castro describes Trump’s policies as ‘irrational, egotistical’

Cuban President Raul Castro has strongly criticized the president of the United States for his “irrational” and “egotistical” views on immigration and trade.

Castro said at a summit of leftist leaders in Venezuela on Sunday that US President Donald Trump’s new immigration ban and his plans to construct a border wall to stop Mexican immigrants from entering the country were “irrational.”

He added that the border wall aimed to block all the Latin American people from entering the US and not just Mexicans. The Cuban president said an “unfair international economic system” was causing growing inequality and poverty, forcing people to migrate.

Trump “threatens to unleash an extreme and egotistical trade policy that will impact the competitiveness of our foreign trade, violate environmental agreements... hunt down and deport migrants,” Castro said. “You can’t contain poverty, catastrophes, and migrants with walls, but with cooperation, understanding and peace.”

The US and Cuba have had strained ties for several decades. In December 2014, former US president Barack Obama and Castro agreed to normalize the relations between their countries. Obama, a Democrat, used executive orders to circumvent the longstanding US trade embargo on Cuba and ease some restrictions on travel and business. The embargo can only be lifted by the US Congress, which is currently controlled by Republicans.

Travel to the Caribbean island from the United States has increased, with the start of direct flights and cruises, but no manufacturing or significant trade deals have been agreed yet.

SS