(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Cuban President Raul Castro has harshly criticized US President Donald Trump’s immigration, trade and other policies as Trump reviews a fragile easing with Communist-run Cuba begun by his predecessor Barack Obama.
In his first critical remarks directed at Trump since he took office, Castro termed his trade policies “egotistical” and his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border “irrational.”
Castro expressed this view in a speech made to a summit of leftist leaders in Venezuela.
Before taking office, Trump threatened to torpedo the detente between the former Cold War foes unless a “better deal” could be struck, without providing details.
The White House said last month it was in the middle of “a full review of all US policies toward Cuba.
Castro said “The new agenda of the US government 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.”
He said migration was due to growing inequality and poverty caused by an unjust international economic system and that a wall along the Mexican border was therefore “irrational” and aimed at all Latin Americans, not just Mexicans.
Castro added “You can’t contain poverty, catastrophes and migrants with walls, but with cooperation, understanding and peace.”
