Republican Sen. Rand Paul and his father, former presidential candidate and former congressman from Texas Ron Paul agree: U.S. policy toward Cuba for the last 50 years didn't work.
"Well, I think the American people have a right to travel," Ron Paul said Thursday on NewsMaxTV's America's Forum. "And they have a right to sent their money where they want and I don't know why by putting sanctions on a country to punish a few individuals, we punish the American people and take away their liberties. So I don't believe in sanctions. And they haven't worked, the Castros have outlived a lot of our presidents and they're still there."
"But I have such confidence in introducing people and ideas to other countries that they can be persuaded. But sanctions just is threatening, intimidating."
As the Associated Press first reported, Rand Paul also commented the Cuba embargo on Thursday.
"The 50-year embargo just hasn't worked," Paul said. "If the goal is regime change, it sure doesn't seem to be working and probably it punishes the people more than the regime because the regime can blame the embargo for hardship.
"In the end, I think opening up Cuba is probably a good idea," he said.
Also on NewsMaxTV, the elder Paul called said his son was "far superior" to the "current crop" of potential Republican presidential candidate.