Cuba's Castro rebuts Trump at national assembly

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Cuban President Raul Castro on Friday denounced US President Donald Trump's partial rollback of the US-Cuban detente, saying it ignored broad public support for better relations and would satisfy only a few Cuban-American hard-liners.

In his first public riposte to Trump since the latter unveiled his new Cuba policy last month, Castro said at the twice-yearly meetings of the national assembly that any attempt to topple the revolution would fail, as it had under 11 previous US presidents.

Cuban President Raul Castro participates in the Permanent Working Committees of the National Assembly of the People's Power in Havana, July 14, 2017. /VCG Photo

"We reject the manipulation of the topic of human rights against Cuba, that can be proud of much in this area, and does not need to receive lessons from the United States nor anyone," Castro was quoted as saying by state-run media Cubadebate.

Trump said last month he was canceling former President Barack Obama's "terrible and misguided deal" with the communist-run Cuba.

He ordered tighter restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba and a clampdown on US business dealings with the military in the Caribbean island.

The US Embassy in Havana, January 13, 2017. /VCG Photo

Castro said Cuba remains open to negotiating matters of bilateral interest with the US, sticking to the relatively conciliatory tone it has struck of late.

"Cuba and the United States can cooperate and live side by side, respecting their differences," he said. "But no one should expect that for this, one should have to make concessions inherent to one's sovereignty and independence."

Castro said Trump had clearly been ill-informed about Cuba's history with the US and Cubans' patriotism.

(Source: Reuters)

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