U.S. lawmakers and officials are overlooking Cuban dissidents in their rush to meet with leaders and businessmen on the island and resume normal relations, the Associated Press reports.
More than 20 U.S. legislators have traveled to Cuba since February and not convened with opposition groups—once a traditional stop on visits to the Communist-run island—according to the AP:
Advocates of President Barack Obama's outreach to Cuba say it's a more intelligent way to push for democratic reform on the island. After decades of fruitlessly trying to strengthen the government's opponents, they see diplomatic engagement as the best method for persuading Cuba it's time to open the political system and keep loosening control of the centrally planned economy.
That's left many dissidents feeling increasingly sidelined and abandoned as both countries celebrate milestones like Monday's opening of embassies in Havana and Washington.
"The only thing they want is to open up business, the embassy," said Berta Soler, leader of a faction of the Ladies in White, one of the island's best-known dissident groups. "Whenever someone high-level came from the United States before, they always made time to meet with us before getting on the plane (back home), and that's not happening."
Legislative staffers say Cuban officials have made clear that if Congress members meet with dissidents, they will not get access to high-ranking officials such as First Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the man expected to be the next president of Cuba who has met with U.S. politicians like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
Protests by the Ladies in White continue to be broken up by pro-government groups and police, and protesters still face the threat of short-term detentions.