Castro's daughter talks about Cuba at SIUC

[CrimsonWhite]

I was at this event. This woman is pretty remarkable.

CARBONDALE - Alina Fernandez believes an embargo between the Untied States and Cuba will one day be lifted, but conditions necessary for such a political change "are not yet about to be fulfilled."

Fernandez, the daughter of long-time Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, said lifting the embargo would help the economy of a nation that's been struggling for decades, but with current governmental regimes, the move may not be the best choice.

"My country has been devastated by a couple of hurricanes, but I don't think you should reward a dictatorship with a zillion dollars," said Fernandez, who escaped her native country disguised as a Spanish tourist in 1993.

As a child, she watched as Mickey Mouse disappeared from her television set, replaced with a group of bearded men calling for revolution. She spent many years of her life not knowing the leader of the bearded men - who would come visit her at home - was actually her father.

"In those days, he could jump from the television to the living room like that," she said as she snapped her fingers.

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