Donald Trump says he will reverse relations with Cuba unless religious freedom is restored

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he would reverse the diplomatic relations established by the Obama administration with Cuba unless political and religious freedom is restored in the communist regime.

Speaking at a rally in Miami, Florida last week, Trump described Obama's deals with Cuba as "one-sided" and said that it only benefits the Castro administration. He stated that he will be able to reverse the concessions if he is elected president.

"All the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them — and that is what I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," Trump declared.

"Those demands are religious and political freedom for the Cuban people. And the freeing of political prisoners," he continued.

Trump has previously expressed his support for the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba.

"The concept of opening with Cuba is fine," said Trump in September 2015. But he later on added that the U.S. government should have made a better deal.

Florida has a large population of Cuban Americans that are known to identify as Republicans. A poll conducted in 2015 found that there is growing support among Cuban Americans to normalize trade with Cuba.

The Castro regime has freed 53 political prisoners in January 2015 as part of the deal to normalize ties with the U.S. government. The U.S. embargo still remains but regulations have been relaxed to allow U.S. companies to trade with the country.

Religious freedom in Cuba appears to be declining as reported by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). Last August, CSW released a report stating that violations of religious freedom have increased in the past few years. CSW reported that the communist regime has stepped up its campaign against religion through the demolition and confiscation of churches.

Cuban authorities have reportedly confiscated 1,400 churches affiliated with the Assemblies of God. 100 of those churches have been marked for demolition. Other reported violations include arbitrary detention of church members and confiscation of religious leaders' personal property.