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Interview with Telemundo’s “Levántate”
Senator Marco Rubio
April 13, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDoPCK9aGWY
Translated English Transcript
Democracy in the Region
Telemundo’s Vanessa Arias: “This year, the two central themes at the Summit of the Americas will be seeking ways to combat drug trafficking and the participation or the exclusion of non-democratic countries like Cuba. Florida Senator Marco Rubio is already in Colombia. Senator, thank you very much for being with us.”
Senator Marco Rubio: “Thank you, thank you.”
Arias: “Senator Rubio, one of the central themes of the summit is definitely Cuba. Many countries say this should be the last summit without Cuba, including the President of Brazil who told President Obama this on Monday. The position of the United States is clear that non-democratic countries should not attend the summit. What is your opinion?”
Rubio: “My opinion is the same as the President’s, that only democracies should be involved here. I would like Cuba to participate in a future summit because I want Cuba to be a democracy in the future. Unfortunately at this time, it is not.
“This is not the time for the Latin American region to pull back on issues of democracy that we have advanced in the past 20 years. We have seen, for example, here in Colombia, what democracy has been able to achieve for the Colombian people in economic and political terms. Now is not the time to abandon that cause. I believe that accepting a dictatorship like Cuba, a dictatorship that has no intention whatsoever to change, would be a very negative message to the region and the democracies in the region.”
Drug Trafficking
Arias: “Another key issue to be discussed is how to combat drug trafficking, including a way that have never been discussed at a summit before, drug legalization. What do you think?”
Rubio: “Well, first off I understand the frustration that exists in many countries about this issue. There have been many deaths, many families who have suffered greatly over the loss of life and the violence surrounding drugs. I do not think that legalization is the solution. I do believe the United States has a joint commitment as the consumer market to help our allies in the region to fight against these criminal organizations. So I think that we must remain committed to that cause. We have seen progress, for example, Colombia is an example of what we can do together with the progress that Colombia has had on the war against criminal organizations.”
Original Spanish Transcript:
La Democracia en América Latina
Telemundo’s Vanessa Arias: “Este año los dos temas centrales en la Cumbre de las Américas serán el narcotráfico y buscar formas para combatirlo, y la democracia y la participación de países o la exclusión de países como Cuba. El senador de la Florida Marco Rubio, ya está en Colombia. Senador, muchas gracias por estar con nosotros”.
Senator Marco Rubio: “Muchas gracias, muchas gracias”.
Arias: “Senador Rubio, definitivamente uno de los temas centrales es esta cumbre será Cuba. Muchos países dicen que esta debería ser la última cumbre sin Cuba, incluso la presidenta de Brasil se lo dijo al presidente Obama el lunes. La posición de los Estados Unidos es clara, que los países no democráticos no deben asistir a la cumbre. ¿Cual es su opinión”?
Rubio: “Mi opinión es la misma del presidente que aquí solamente deben participar democracias. Yo quisiera que Cuba participara en una cumbre futura, porque quiero que Cuba sea una democracia en el futuro. Desafortunadamente en este momento no lo es.
“Yo creo que es importante. Esto no es un momento para que la región y América Latina empiece a echar para atrás en temas de la democracia que hemos avanzado en los últimos 20 años. Hemos visto, por ejemplo, aquí en Colombia lo que la democracia ha podido lograr para el pueblo colombiano en términos económicos y políticos. Y ahora no es el momento para abandonar esa causa. Yo creo que aceptar a una dictadura como Cuba, una dictadura que no tiene intención ninguna en cambiar, seria un mensaje muy negativo para la región y los demócratas de la región”.
El Narcotráfico
Arias: “Otro de los temas centrales que se va a tratar son formas de combatir el narcotráfico, incluso formas que nunca se habían hablado en una cumbre como estas. Una opción seria la legalización. ¿Que piensa al respecto”?
Rubio: “Bueno, primero yo entiendo la frustración que existe en muchos países sobre esto. Han habido muchos muertos, muchas familias que han sufrido muchísimo sobre la perdida de vida y la violencia que ha habido a través de la droga. No creo que la legalización es la solución. Yo si creo que tenemos un compromiso conjunto de parte de los Estados Unidos que es el mercado de consumo y por otra parte también de ayudar a nuestros aliados en nuestra región a combatir contra estas organizaciones criminales. Así que creo que tenemos que seguir comprometido a esa causa. Hemos visto el progreso, por ejemplo, Colombia es un ejemplo de lo que podemos hacer junto en el progreso que Colombia ha podido tener en la guerra contra estas organizaciones criminales”.