Cuba, Venezuela hope Biden will seek to improve ties

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Cuba and Venezuela said Sunday they trust that Joe Biden’s victory in the US presidential election will usher in a new era of relations with Washington, which have been severely affected by sanctions.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Cuba recognized that the US had chosen "a new direction in the presidential elections.”

“We believe in the possibility of having constructive bilateral relations while respecting our differences,” he said on Twitter.

After President Barack Obama re-established diplomatic relations with the Caribbean nation, President Donald Trump cancelled deals and imposed harsh financial sanctions and new travel restrictions on the country.

From Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro also congratulated newly elected President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and expressed his willingness to engage in “dialogue” with the US.

“Venezuela, the Homeland of the Liberator Simon Bolivar, will always be open to dialogue and understanding with the people and government of the United States,” he said in a tweet.

Maduro's relationship with Trump has also been rocky, even more so after Trump recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president and expressed his willingness to oust Maduro from office, even if it meant using military force.

The Trump administration also filed charges against Maduro last March for drug-trafficking and offered a $15 million reward for his arrest.

It is still unclear, however, whether Biden will reverse Trump’s policies.