Pope Francis Was Wrong To Promote Closer U.S.-Cuban Ties - Chris Christie

Chris Christie: Pope Francis Was Wrong To Promote Closer U.S.-Cuban Ties
"I just happen to disagree with the pope on this one."
Marina Fang
Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post

Posted: 09/20/2015 04:12 PM EDT | Edited: 09/20/2015 04:23 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- Ahead of Pope Francis' long-awaited visit to the U.S. this
week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) argued on Sunday that the pope
was "wrong" to promote the recent restoration of diplomatic relations
between the U.S. and Cuba.

"I just think the pope is wrong," the Republican presidential hopeful
told CNN's Jake Tapper. "The fact is that his infallibility is on
religious matters, not on political ones."

"I just happen to disagree with the pope on this one," added Christie,
who is Catholic. In particular, he noted that the Cuban government
granted political asylum to Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted of
killing a New Jersey state trooper in the 1970s and has since changed
her name to Assata Shakur.

"The fact is that, for me, I just believe that, when you have a
government that is harboring fugitives, murdering fugitives, like Joanne
Chesimard, who murdered a state policeman in New Jersey in cold blood,
was broken out of prison, and has been harbored for the last 40-plus
years by a Cuban government that has paid her and held up her as a hero,
that this president could extend diplomatic relations with that country
without getting her returned so she can serve the prison sentence that
she was sentenced to by a jury of her peers in New Jersey is
outrageous," Christie said.

Pope Francis, who is currently visiting Cuba before heading to the U.S.
on Tuesday, played a key role in encouraging leaders from both countries
to end a decades-long standoff and open up diplomatic relations. Last
year, he wrote letters to both President Barack Obama and Cuban
President Raul Castro, inviting them to "resolve humanitarian questions
of common interest." Earlier this year, both countries reopened
embassies in each other's capitals and the State Department announced
plans to allow more Americans to visit Cuba.

In August, when Kerry presided over the reopening of the U.S. embassy in
Havana, Christie blasted the decision. He also called for Chesimard, one
of America's most wanted fugitives, to return to the U.S.

On Sunday, one of Christie's presidential rivals, Sen. Marco Rubio
(R-Fla.), also weighed in, saying "I have no problem with the pope,"
though he did not specifically address the pontiff's role in restoring
U.S.-Cuban relations.

"On the economic issues, the geopolitical issues, the pope is just
trying to bring people together. That's his role as a spiritual leader.
And I respect that very much," Rubio said on ABC's "This Week."

Rubio, whose parents are from Cuba, added that he would like Francis to
meet with Cuban political dissidents on his visit and hopes that he
"will discuss human rights and freedoms" in his remarks to the public.

In preparation for Francis' visit, the Cuban government cracked down on
dissident groups. On Sunday, Cuban police arrested several dissidents
who were trying to approach the pope.

Source: Chris Christie: Pope Francis Was Wrong To Promote Closer
U.S.-Cuban Ties -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chris-christie-pope-francis-cuba_55ff07bbe4b0fde8b0cead48