Clinton talks Cuba, Obama talks Colombia on Univision

In an interview that aired this morning on Miami-based Univision, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gives a shout-out to Florida, where Hispanic voters helped propel her to a victory with bragging rights but no delegates.

"What happened here in Florida is that over two million Floridians decided they were going to make sure their voices were heard,'' she said. "They came out and voted in great numbers, and now we are going to see that in the rest of the country as we move toward Super Tuesday...Obviously I'm thrilled to have so much support from the Latino community.''

Clinton was asked about two policy differences with rival Barack Obama, who has called for unrestricted travel by Cuban-Americans to the island and for allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

On Cuba: "I think it's not the time for us to begin negotiations with ourselves over Cuba. There will be a transition if the Cuban government begins to demonstrate respect for human rights, sets free political prisoners, looks as though they will move toward democracy, then I think we could consider a lot of changes, but not until then.''

On driver's licenses: "We need comprehensive immigration reform. We have to keep the pressure on. I do not believe we should be looking at giving certain privileges to our immigrant community because I don't think that is in the interest of comprehensive immigration reform.''

For his part, Obama was asked why there's no mention of Latin America on his website. He said he would have to check on the web site but that he has given speeches on Latin American. (He called for lifting limits on travel and remittances to Cuba in a speech at Miami-Dade County Auditorium in August.)

Obama said: "I have repeatedly said that being against Castro and being against Chavez that is not a Latin American policy. We should be talking about trade. We should be talking about opening up bigger relationships and student exchanges and education.''

But Obama is not supporting the proposed free-trade agreement with Columbia. He said: "I'm concerned frankly about the reports there of the involvement of the administration with human rights violations and the suppression of workers. I think it is very important for us in our free trade agreements with any country to ensure that basic human rights are being observed, basic worker rights are being observed, basic environmental rights are being observed.''

Comments

[ItFigures]

So Obama wants to punish our allies and help our enemies.

[Mike Yantys]

Great !! That's all we need, support de comunist ideas and punish our friends ! What a ignorant concept about the Colombian reality.

[san]

yea.... thats the way to go: support your enemies and punish your friends!! way to go america

[alex]

Obama is not against our ally Colombia. He is against American support of a Goverment that is deeply infiltrated by the Paramilitary. This is the same Paramilitary that has been blamed for about 60% of the human right violantions in Colombia. I am colombia and I applaud Obama for his valor to stand for what it is right.

Colombians for Obama

[JD]

I dont think that supporting a crazy dictator like Chavez and stopping the help to colombia will help the development of democracy in our continent.

[Blu]

Our polical realities are so much more nuanced, layered & complex than Obama seems capable of comprehending. We cannot afford platitudes and his simple-stand soundbites in such volitile and life & death circumstances. Obama is a novice w/no operational solutions whose inflaming rhetoric is dangerous to the everyday people of the region. Obama's own aspirations are to attain 'power' as he instructed in Alinsky workshops he taught in Chicago when working w/DCP for 4 years. None of us can afford to be a prop of another's ambition nor sacrificed for their cause of self interest. Too many eveyday citizens have been injured to be placed so flippantly+easily @ further risk w/o action or accountability.Obama has been both secretive/obfuscicating & irresponsible in his smiling-glibness.

[chreis bordenkircher]

Your Colombian and feel like that ,Geeez Just because a country has some problems ,I guess penalize the entire nation.Uribe is trying to do his best and is doing a great job.As they find people that violate rights they get rid of them. Obama is just plain ignorant,and has no clue.and no I am not Colombian however I do own property there and do live there.Obama has now said its because of killed union workers what a dip shit

[luisa]

just want to point out that you are speaking about Colombia with and o. not Columbia.

[tocotoco]

Certainly Obama has proved to me with this one that he is naive.

[Mockingbird]

Sometimes that "60% of the human right violantions" is needed to wipe out the 100% guerrilla problem.

[Peter Litwin]

Until I read this cr-p, I was actually thinking we at long last had an articulate, reasonable, intelligent candidate for President. It's obvious that Obama has never been to Colombia and knows nothing about Colombia. To make such sweeping, erroneous statement based on hearsay is a bad sign. COLOMBIA (THE LEGAL GOVERNMENT) IS NOT A VIOLATOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

[LMpi]

At least write the name of the country as it is, COLOMBIA, not COLUMBIA.

[LMpi]

At least write the name of the country as it is, COLOMBIA, not COLUMBIA.

[Kathy]

I take great insult in the fact that Obama is ignoring the change that president Uribe has done for Colombia. And violation of human rights? How about the FARC kidnapping people, setting car bombs all throughout the country, stripping hardworking farmers of their land. I consider THAT violation of human rights. Uribe has done so much to undermine the control of the Guerrilla in colombia, to say otherwise reveals how truely uninformed he is.

[alexg]

it appears obama just can't shake off his love for terrorists. after his long association with bill ayers he know wants to pirsie policies that allow the farc terrorist organization to keep kidnapping and killing colombian citizens and destabilize government that has fought for labor rights and lowered labor killings by astonishing percentages.

[Camila]

IGNORANT PEOPLE IT'S COLOMBIA! NOT COLUMBIA!

[Nicole]

As humans we are born with human rights, when we abuse the rights of others humans rights, like living in peace without fear, then we forfeit our human rights. Quite honestly the FARC have lost any right to being treated humanly when they go around kidnapping, torturing, killing and on one particulary horrifying incident placing a bomb collar on a 55 year old farmer for not paying a 7500 extortion. President Uribe has served his country well and without American help will find it very difficult to continue the fight against the threat to democracy in Colombia, may aswell hand over all of Latin America to Chavez so he can implement his Pan-Americanism (unite Latin American countries) under a banner of socialism and create a very nasty neighbor for the United States of America.

[Francisco]

You spelled Colombia wrong. It's with an "o" and not a "u." News sources that make spelling errors lose credibility in my eyes.

[alley]

Obama is such a hypocrite. He talks about protecting human rights while being pro-abortion. What about the rights of the unborn?? or the rights of all people to bear arms?? people who voted for obama are just indoctrinated (not that mccain is any good either). Poor colombians now have to suffer more due to obama's stupidity.