Julian Castro on Foreign Policy

	Julian Castro on Foreign Policy Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrawn); former HUD Secretary

North Korea won't work with US after ditching Iran nuke deal

If you're Kim Jong Un why in the world would you believe anything that this President says to contain your nuclear weapons program when he tore up an Iran nuclear agreement that we just signed four years ago, which was the strongest agreement to contain Iran's nuclear weapons program, and now he's abandoned the very people that we gave our word to? Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate , Oct 15, 2019

I call Madura a dictator; allow TPS for Venezuelans

Q [to Sen. Bernie SANDERS]: You admit that Venezuela does not have free elections, but still you refuse to call Nicolas Maduro a dictator--Can you explain why?

SANDERS: Well, first of all, let me be very clear. Anybody who does what Maduro does is a vicious tyrant. What we need now is international and regional cooperation for free elections in Venezuela so that the people of that country can make-can create their own future.

CASTRO: I'll call Maduro a dictator, because he is a dictator. And what we need to do is to, along with our allies, make sure that the Venezuelan people get the assistance that they need, that we continue to pressure Venezuela so that they'll have free and fair elections, and also, here in the United States, offer temporary protected status, TPS, to Venezuelans.

Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston , Sep 12, 2019

Pressure China on human rights for Uighurs

Q: How would you pressure China?

CASTRO: I would immediately begin to negotiate with China to ratchet down that trade war. We have leverage there.

I also believe that we need to return to a leader when it comes to things like human rights. We have millions of Uighurs, for instance, in China that right now are being imprisoned and mistreated.

And in North Korea, this president is elevating a dictator. We need to stop that. We need to return to ensuring that America leads again on human rights.

Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston , Sep 12, 2019

No preparation is why North Korea talks have done little

I'm always for speaking to our adversaries. A lot of staff work goes into preparing a meeting like this, so that concrete terms are on the table and you can get something out of the meeting. North Korea has not abided by what it promised, which was to produce an inventory of their weapons stockpile, so that there could be a baseline for further talks. I'm not quite sure why this president is so bent on elevating a dictator. It has been a failure so far. Source: CNN State of the Union 2019 interview , Jun 30, 2019

We need a Marshall Plan for the Northern Triangle

If I were president today, I would sign an executive order that would get rid of Trump's zero-tolerance policy, the remain-in-Mexico policy, and the metering policy [limiting the number of asylum claims].

On day one, I would do that executive order that would address metering. And then I would follow that up in my first 100 days with immigration reform that would honor asylum claims, that would put undocumented immigrants, as long as they haven't committed a serious crime, on a pathway to citizenship.

And then we'd get to the root cause of the issue, which is we need a Marshall Plan for Honduras and Guatemala and El Salvador so that people can find safety and opportunity at home instead of coming to the United States to seek it.

Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) , Jun 26, 2019

21st century Marshall Plan for Central and Latin America

We need a 21st century Marshall Plan for Central and Latin America, because the problem is that folks can't find safety and opportunity in Honduras or El Salvador or Guatemala [the "Northern Triangle" which is the source of most refugees top the U.S.]. If we can partner with those countries so that people can find safety and opportunity there, instead of having to come and knock on the door of the United States, you know, that's what they want. That is going to be better for those countries. Source: CNN Town Hall: 2020 presidential hopefuls , Apr 11, 2019

Rebuild alliances & reclaim role as world leader

I would repair the damage that this president has done to alliances around the world that have helped keep us safer. My first order of business would be to make sure that we repair those alliances. The country has a role to lead for the values that we believe in, for freedom, democracy, and opportunity. That doesn't mean that we entangle ourselves in wars. However, we need to reclaim our role as the world leader in standing up for things like human rights around the world. Source: CNN Town Hall: 2020 presidential hopefuls , Apr 11, 2019

Strengthen our relationship with allies to keep us safe

Today the greatest threat to our national security is the fact that this president is damaging the relationships that we've had at place in the post-World War II era, whether it's NATO or other alliances with individual countries, that have kept us safer. The first thing that I would do if I were president, with regard to our relationships around the world, is to strengthen them. Because those alliances have helped keep us safe. Source: ABC This Week 2019 interviews for 2020 Democratic primary , Jan 6, 2019

Sister city builds strong bonds to South Korea

A push by Texas business leaders for increased trade with South Korea gets a boost this week when Mayor Julian Castro attends a White House state dinner Thursday for President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea. San Antonio delegates, including Castro, are in South Korea this week as part of a mission to increase trade, particularly in the environmental energy, biomedical and biotechnology industries.

The San Antonio delegation will visit Korean sister city Gwangju. "The sister city relationship between San Antonio and Gwangju underscores the important trade relationship that exists between the US and South Korea," Castro said. "It will be an honor to cap off the trip at the White House dinner with President Myung-bak," Castro said.

A White House statement said the state visit "will highlight the strong alliance, global partnership and deep economic ties between the US and the Republic of Korea."

Source: Houston Chronicle, "State dinner for Korean President" , Oct 11, 2011

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*Other big-city mayors on Foreign Policy:*	*Julian Castro on other issues:*
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