For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 20, 2004

Statement by the President

On behalf of the people of the United States, I send greetings to all people of Cuban heritage who celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Republic of Cuba.

We stand firmly with the 11 million Cubans who still suffer under the repressive Castro dictatorship, and who dream of a prosperous and free future.

The United States is working for the day when a free Cuba will rejoin the community of democracies in the Americas. We will vigorously implement the recommendations of the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba so that Cuba will reflect the vision of the great Cuban patriot Jose Marti: "Con todos y para el bien de todos." ("With all the people and for the good of all the people.")

May God bless the Cuban people.

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