DeSantis Bashes Karla Hernandez-Mats Tweet About Cubans Mourning Fidel Castro’s Death: ‘That’s an Insult’

By Lydia Nusbaum

Published Sep. 7, 2022, 2:51 p.m. ET | Updated Sep. 7, 2022

Governor Ron DeSantis speaking with attendees at the 2021 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida (Gage Skidmore).

MIAMI (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Charlie Crist’s running mate, Karla Hernandez-Mats, Wednesday for a 2016 Tweet that said “many in Cuba mourn” after communist dictator Fidel Castro died.

“A political figure dies at 90. Most in Miami rejoice, many in Cuba mourn #FidelCastro,” she said on Nov. 26, 2016.

“When you’re putting out tweets saying about Castro’s death, he’s just a political leader that people in Cuba are mourning, that’s a disgrace,” DeSantis said. “That’s an insult to the people in this community.”

“And here we are decades and decades later, and it is a third world country, has so much potential, and you look at the contrast between South Florida and Cuba,” he explained. “I don’t see people getting on rafts to go from Key West to Cuba. I’ve never seen that. I know they want to do that the opposite because they understand how important freedom is.”

#BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis rails against @KarlaforFlorida for Castro-mourning tweet

"When you're putting out Tweets about Castro's death – 'he's just a political leader that people in Cuba are mourning' – that's a disgrace! That's an insult to the people in [Miami]!" pic.twitter.com/8jHpfYGUWE
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 7, 2022

Florida’s Voice first reported Hernandez-Mats’ tweet about the communist dictator. She deleted the controversial tweet Monday and hours later proceeded to compare DeSantis to Castro.

“Like Castro, Ron is moving our state closer to authoritarian rule,” she said. “Charlie and I will stop this wannabe dictator.”

The following day, Hernandez-Mats walked back the 2016 tweet and said in a new tweet that she was referring to those forced to mourn.

“I proudly celebrated Fidel’s death, banging on pots and pans in the streets of Hialeah with my neighbors,” Hernandez-Mats said. “It was heartbreaking that after decades of oppression, the Cuban people were forced to mourn the death of a tyrant.”

In 2016, the Associated Press reported “Cubans forced to undergo 9 days of mourning for Castro”:

Cubans can show their respects for Castro beginning at 9 a.m. Monday at the Havana memorial to national hero Jose Marti, a poet and leader of Cuba’s 19th century fight for independence from Spain. Mourners will be able to pay their respects until 10 p.m. Monday and again on Tuesday at the memorial in the Plaza of the Revolution as well as specially designated sites across the country.
The Associated Press