Cuba is ready to work with Trump but Raul Castro warns the Donald to respect his country's independence

  • President Raul Castro expressed Cuba's willingness to continue negotiations with President Donald Trump at a summit in the Dominican Republic
  • But he said his country would not 'make concessions inherent to its independence and sovereignty' to achieve this 
  • After it emerged Trump signed executive orders calling for the construction of a border wall and stripping support for sanctuary cities, summit took a turn
  • Leaders of El Salvador and Chile voiced their defense of migrants around world 
  • Obama started working with Castro in December 2014 to normalize relations after more than 50 years
  • Obama used executive orders to circumvent the longstanding U.S. trade embargo on Cuba and ease some restrictions on travel and business 
  • Trump can reverse orders and has threatened to scrap normalizing relations

By Associated Press and Reuters

Published: 00:16 EST, 26 January 2017 | Updated: 02:02 EST, 26 January 2017

President Raul Castro expressed Cuba's willingness to work with President Donald Trump but warned his country would not concede any of its sovereignty.

Castro made the comments at a summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders in the Dominican Republic that was dominated by talk of Trump's immigration and trade policies. 

'Cuba and the United States can cooperate and live together in a civilized manner,' Castro said Wednesday.

President Raul Castro expressed Cuba's willingness to continue negotiations with President Donald Trump while warning that his country would not concede any of its sovereignty

Castro (left) made the comments at a summit in the Dominican Republic that was dominated by talk of Trump's immigration and trade policies (right, Trump)

The leaders at the summit soon veered off the expected script after Trump signed executive actions calling for construction of a border wall and stripping support for sanctuary cities

Castro said Cuba was willing to continue normalizing relations with Washington but his country would not 'make concessions inherent to its independence and sovereignty' to achieve this.

The same day, a Cuban trade delegation arrived in the United States to visit four states and six ports.

Port authorities along the U.S. Southern coast are strong proponents of increased trade and travel with Cuba, and some have expressed interest in using Mariel, located on the northwest coast of the Caribbean island, as a transshipment hub.  

The leaders at the summit soon veered off the expected script, however, after Trump signed executive actions calling for construction of a border wall and stripping support for so-called sanctuary cities.

Many of the leaders also warily anticipated his support for protectionist measures.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa (above) called upon everyone to 'assume a clear position in defense of migrants, not only from Latin America and the Caribbean, but the entire world'

Meanwhile, protests broke out in various cities in the US. The Council on American Islamic Relations staged a protest in Washington Square Park in New York on Wednesday

Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez said his country would take action to confront the changes, while other leaders pledged to reject the criminalization of immigration and defend the rights of migrants.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa called upon everyone to 'assume a clear position in defense of migrants, not only from Latin America and the Caribbean, but the entire world.'

Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz said that during the group's first meeting, which was held behind closed doors, an attitude opposing protectionism and closed borders prevailed.

'Latin America and the Caribbean have taken a stand in favor of the integration, in favor of the opening, in favor of the preservation of the advances that have been made in the matter of free trade,' he said. 

Obama started working with Castro in December 2014 to normalize relations after more than 50 years of U.S. efforts to force Communist-run Cuba to change by isolating it

Since then the two countries have restored diplomatic ties and signed various cooperation agreements (pictured, Sasha, Michelle, and Barack Obama at a baseball game in Cuba on March 22, 2016 with Castro)

Obama started working with Castro in December 2014 to normalize relations after more than 50 years of U.S. efforts to force Communist-run Cuba to change by isolating it.

Since then the two countries have restored diplomatic ties and signed various cooperation agreements.

Obama, a Democrat, used executive orders to circumvent the longstanding U.S. trade embargo on Cuba and ease some restrictions on travel and business. 

The embargo can only be lifted by the U.S. Congress, which is controlled by Republicans. 

U.S. President Donald Trump, who can reverse Obama's executive orders, has threatened to scrap the move to normalize relations between Washington and Havana, if he doesn't get 'a better deal'.  

 

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