Dodd promises new Cuba policy (UPDATED)

Presidential candidate Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., on Saturday presented a checklist of what he would do on Cuba, if elected to the White House.

— End the embargo.

— Lift restrictions on travel on the island.

— Open an American embassy in Havana.

— Shut down Radio Marti and TV Marti.

— Lobby to repeal the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, which tightened the embargo.

— Work to establish mail service to the island.

— Allow for telephone companies to lower the price of calls to the island.

Apparently, Dodd is taking his cue on Cuba from the international community.

"Other than the war in Iraq, no other American policy is more broadly unpopular internationally," Dodd said of the United States' policy toward Cuba.

No word in the Associated Press story on Dodd's campaign appearance in Coral Gables, Fla., whether he would require any concessions by the Cuban government — say, the release of political prisoners — before he would act to reverse current American policy towards Cuba.

And no word from Dodd whether he would assist the democratic — that's small "d" democratic — opposition on the island.

Dodd, who trails far back in the polls, has spoken about Cuba policy more specifically than most other candidates. He also has called for some of the most radical changes,.

To read an earlier, statement, go here.

To research Dodd's voting record on Cuba — and those of the other presidential candidates who have served in Congress — go here.

UPDATED, Sept. 10, 2007

Dodd has a history of supporting a change in policy towards Cuba.

Some human rights activists on the island are not impressed, as documentary producer/director Agustin Blazquez wrote in April 2005:

"Senator Dodd is not concerned about the hardship of the Cuban people, he is just interested in business." This quote does not come from the Cuban American exiles but from the Human Rights Lawton Foundation in Havana last May 11, 1999, after Christopher Dodd's visit to the communist ruled island.

In a document replying to Senator Dodd's recommendations for the lifting of the U.S. embargo signed by Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, Migdalia Rosado Hernandez and Rolando Muñoz Yyobre addressed to the people of the U.S. — but not reported in the U.S. media — the directors of the human rights foundation expressed their consternation about Dodd's statements.

The document says "the lifting of the embargo has to be conditioned to respect the human rights of the Cuban people, the freedom of all political prisoners, a multi-party system and free elections, because these principles must take precedence over business."

Read all of Blazquez's column here.

(H/T to Ziva, writing at Babalú.)