{"id":600910,"date":"2021-07-23T07:36:41","date_gmt":"2021-07-23T11:36:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=600910"},"modified":"2021-07-23T07:36:44","modified_gmt":"2021-07-23T11:36:44","slug":"watch-reporter-grills-biden-admin-over-their-sanctions-on-cuba-it-doesnt-do-anything-new","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-reporter-grills-biden-admin-over-their-sanctions-on-cuba-it-doesnt-do-anything-new\/","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: Reporter Grills Biden Admin Over Their Sanctions On Cuba: \u2018It Doesn\u2019t Do Anything New\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwatch-reporter-grills-biden-admin-over-their-sanctions-on-cuba-it-doesnt-do-anything-new%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=600910&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/NP-scaled-1.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>The Biden administration was grilled by an Associated Press reporter on Wednesday over the administration\u2019s alleged actions sanctioning entities in Cuba over the communist regime\u2019s crackdown on pro-freedom protesters.<\/p>\n<p>Politico <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2021\/07\/22\/biden-sanctions-cuba-500534\">reported<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"11\">\n<p><em>The sanctions target Alvaro Lopez Miera, the head of the armed forces in Cuba, and the Cuban Ministry of the Interior\u2019s Special National Brigade, known as the \u201cblack berets,\u201d for their involvement in the crackdown after historic protests in more than 40 cities across the island.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Associated Press reporter Matt Lee grilled State Department spokesman Ned Price over the matter during a press briefing this week, saying that Biden administration \u201cdesignated one person and an entity that was already covered by Global Magnitsky sanctions that were imposed by the Trump administration in January.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, I don\u2019t understand why you think that this is such a big deal,\u201d Lee added.<\/p>\n<p>The two had the following exchange (video featured below):<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"73\">\n<p><em><strong>PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Well, Matt, let me first give you a bit of context to make sure this is understood in the right light. As we have said, since the onset of the peaceful protests across the island of Cuba, we will stand with the Cuban people, who are exercising their universal rights of peaceful protest, peaceful assembly, freedom of speech. We will look at additional ways we can support them. We have spoken to the formation of a remittance working group. We have spoken about the ways in which we are seeking to expand internet access so that the Cuban people can practice that freedom of expression and have the free flow of information to which they are entitled. We have spoken to our review of how we might augment our staffing at our embassy in Havana.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>But we have also said that we are going to hold to account those Cuban individuals and entities responsible for the crackdown on this peaceful protest. And I said yesterday that the Treasury Department\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control is exploring designating Cuban officials, Cuban entities, responsible for violence, repression, human rights violations against those who are perpetrating this in Cuba.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>So, you are right; we designated through the Global Magnitsky sanctions regime one individual and one entity today. This I do not expect will be the sum total of our actions. We\u2019re going to continue to review what more we can do not only to support the Cuban people, but also, again, importantly to hold to account those who would be so brazen in their efforts and attempts to violate the human rights of the Cuban people. So \u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>LEE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Okay. But I mean, the special brigade of the interior ministry was already covered by Global Magnitsky sanctions. So, you \u2013 so you\u2019ve \u2013 you\u2019ve added another designation on \u2013 I just don\u2019t \u2013 the impact of this seems to me whatever the impact would have been \u2013 it seems to have been \u2013 it seems to be negligible, since they were already covered. So, I don\u2019t quite understand how it is that you are presenting this as some grand new initiative to support the Cuban people, when in fact it\u2019s simply adding another layer, which was really unnecessary, since they already were covered by the sanctions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;I would make a couple points. Number one, the Global Magnitsky sanctions regime is an important tool we have that is applicable \u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>LEE:<\/strong>&nbsp;It is. But they were already under it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 that is \u2013 Alvaro Lopez Miera was?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>LEE:<\/strong>&nbsp;No, I\u2019m talking about the \u2013 that\u2019s one person, okay, who most likely doesn\u2019t have any assets or any dealings with American citizens.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Just \u2013 just so \u2013 just so no \u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>LEE:<\/strong>&nbsp;So, let\u2019s talk about what the real impact would be, would be if you designated the whole entity of the \u2013 a part of the interior ministry, like with the Iran sanctions, okay? That would have a much bigger impact, whatever that impact would be. But the fact of the matter is that they were already covered by Global Magnitsky sanctions. The exact same sanction, the exact same executive order was used to do this, and it doesn\u2019t have any \u2013 it doesn\u2019t do anything new.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>WATCH:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"11.5\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Reporter roasts the State Dept spokesman on \u201cnew\u201d sanctions:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe special brigade of the Interior Ministry was already covered by [sanctions]\u2026you\u2019re presenting this as some grand, new initiative to support the Cuban people\u2026they were already covered\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Netb6ig32s\">pic.twitter.com\/Netb6ig32s<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KyleMartinsen_\/status\/1418382966594625540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 23, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/briefings\/department-press-briefing-july-22-2021\/\">TRANSCRIPT<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"107\">\n<p><em><strong>QUESTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;You designated one person and an entity that was already covered by Global Magnitsky sanctions that were imposed by the Trump administration in January. So, I don\u2019t understand why you think that this is such a big deal.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MR PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Well, Matt, let me first give you a bit of context to make sure this is understood in the right light. As we have said, since the onset of the peaceful protests across the island of Cuba, we will stand with the Cuban people, who are exercising their universal rights of peaceful protest, peaceful assembly, freedom of speech. We will look at additional ways we can support them. We have spoken to the formation of a remittance working group. We have spoken about the ways in which we are seeking to expand internet access so that the Cuban people can practice that freedom of expression and have the free flow of information to which they are entitled. We have spoken to our review of how we might augment our staffing at our embassy in Havana.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>But we have also said that we are going to hold to account those Cuban individuals and entities responsible for the crackdown on this peaceful protest. And I said yesterday that the Treasury Department\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control is exploring designating Cuban officials, Cuban entities, responsible for violence, repression, human rights violations against those who are perpetrating this in Cuba.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>So, you are right; we designated through the Global Magnitsky sanctions regime one individual and one entity today. This I do not expect will be the sum total of our actions. We\u2019re going to continue to review what more we can do not only to support the Cuban people, but also, again, importantly to hold to account those who would be so brazen in their efforts and attempts to violate the human rights of the Cuban people. So \u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>QUESTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;Okay. But I mean, the special brigade of the interior ministry was already covered by Global Magnitsky sanctions. So, you \u2013 so you\u2019ve \u2013 you\u2019ve added another designation on \u2013 I just don\u2019t \u2013 the impact of this seems to me whatever the impact would have been \u2013 it seems to have been \u2013 it seems to be negligible, since they were already covered. So, I don\u2019t quite understand how it is that you are presenting this as some grand new initiative to support the Cuban people, when in fact it\u2019s simply adding another layer, which was really unnecessary, since they already were covered by the sanctions.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MR PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;I would make a couple points. Number one, the Global Magnitsky sanctions regime is an important tool we have that is applicable \u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>QUESTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;It is. But they were already under it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MR PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 that is \u2013 Alvaro Lopez Miera was?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>QUESTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;No, I\u2019m talking about the \u2013 that\u2019s one person, okay, who most likely doesn\u2019t have any assets or any dealings with American citizens.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MR PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Just \u2013 just so \u2013 just so no \u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>QUESTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;So, let\u2019s talk about what the real impact would be, would be if you designated the whole entity of the \u2013 a part of the interior ministry, like with the Iran sanctions, okay? That would have a much bigger impact, whatever that impact would be. But the fact of the matter is that they were already covered by Global Magnitsky sanctions. The exact same sanction, the exact same executive order was used to do this, and it doesn\u2019t have any \u2013 it doesn\u2019t do anything new.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MR PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Just so we\u2019re not having a conversation just with each other, let me just level set with everyone.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>QUESTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;Well, I\u2019ll be \u2013 I\u2019m done after that.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MR PRICE:<\/strong>&nbsp;Well, so as Matt alluded to, we have imposed sanctions on the minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba, Alvaro Lopez Miera, as well as the Ministry of the Interior\u2019s Special National Brigade. These \u2013 this individual, this entity, we have targeted them as part of our effort \u2013 that is not over, to be sure \u2013 to hold to account those actors in Cuba who have been responsible for the crackdown, for the repression, for the human rights abuses on those in Cuba who are doing nothing more than exercising their universal rights.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Now, we obviously do have a well-developed sanctions regime in place that covers different elements and entities in Cuba. That said, the embargo and the other sanctions tools \u2013 they do have carveouts. They have carveouts for a number of reasons. It is absolutely true that by sanctioning this individual and this entity some of those carveouts are closed, that there will be repercussions and implications for this individual and this entity. And it\u2019s an important signal of our determination to hold accountable those responsible for this.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><i><span>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><i><span>member<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Biden administration was grilled by an Associated Press reporter on Wednesday over the administration\u2019s alleged actions sanctioning entities in Cuba over the communist regime\u2019s crackdown on pro-freedom protesters.Politico reported:The &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-600910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=600910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=600910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=600910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=600910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}