Rubio and Scott Slam Biden Admin One Year After Cubans Began Mass Protests Against Government
July 11, 2022 Updated 3:14 P.M. ET
WASHINGTON (FLV) – One year after Cubans took to the streets to protest the Communist Party government and call for freedom, Florida leaders condemned the Biden Administration for its policies in response to the Cuban government.
The demonstrations a year ago were the largest anti-government protests to take place in Cuba since the 1959 revolution started.
U.S. Senator Rick Scott, R-Florida, said Cubans bravely took to the streets a year ago to peacefully demand freedom and democracy. The Senator recounted the communist regime’s crackdown on the freedom movement with mass jailing, beatings, and murder.
“While some ran forward to stand with the Cuban people and support their movement for democracy, Joe Biden fell silent. President Biden’s refusal to stand up for democracy in Cuba is nothing but shameful weakness and a stain on the integrity of the office he holds,” Scott said.
Scott said he has “urged” President Biden to denounce the Castro/Díaz-Canel regime and release the jailed democracy activists.
“Biden has refused to demand proof of life for these innocent Cubans or make clear to the regime that the world is watching its human rights atrocities,” Scott said. “Instead, just weeks ago, he chose to prop up the oppressive regime with pathetic appeasement policies and sanctions relief.”
The Biden Administration reportedly said earlier this year it would expand flights to Cuba, loosen restrictions on U.S. travelers to the island, and lift restrictions on remittances that immigrants can send to people on the island.
The Biden Administration said these changes would provide the Cuban people “additional tools to pursue a life free from Cuban government oppression.”
“With these actions, we aim to support Cubans’ aspirations for freedom and for greater economic opportunities so that they can lead successful lives at home,” the Biden Administration said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has chastised the administration for that decision he said would “prop up” the Cuban dictatorship.
DeSantis Says Biden Has Plan to ‘Prop Up’ Cuban Dictatorship
“Biden’s plan to prop up the Cuban dictatorship represents yet another failure when it comes to standing for freedom in our hemisphere,” DeSantis said.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Florida, also called out the Biden Administration Monday.
“One year ago today the people of #Cuba took to the streets demanding #Libertad,” Rubio said. “Over the last 12 months the Biden administration has done nothing to punish the regime & instead looked for ways to appease them.”
