Bill Clinton: “Before I say anything else, I want to acknowledge the presence here of some very special friends of mine, Jorge Perez…”

“Before I say anything else, I want to acknowledge the presence here of some very special friends of mine, Jorge Perez, Jorge Bolano, and Willie Braceras, who helped me in Miami last year when I hardly knew anyone who lived in south Florida and when I needed to learn a lot about the issues affecting Cuban-Americans. I want to say a special word of thanks, too, to Simon Ferro who helped me to organize this event. We join all Cubans today in celebrating this, the 91st anniversary of Cuban independence. Just as Cubans struggled for independence nearly a century ago today, a new generation of Cubans in our country and our time are struggling for freedom and democracy. And the American people stand by them and their brothers and sisters in Cuba as they struggle for freedom and democracy. The people of Cuba deserve to be free and to determine their own future through free elections. They deserve to be free of political abuse and dictatorship. Our administration seeks a rapid and peaceful transition to democracy so that all Cubans can enjoy the fruits of freedom as Cuban-Americans do today. That is why, last year, I was proud to join in supporting the Cuban Democracy Act and why as President I still support it. I also want to recognize the accomplishments here in the United States of more than one million Cuban-Americans for all they have done not only to rebuild their lives and the lives of their families but to make America a richer, stronger country through what they have done.…”