Salazar Joins Cuban American Members to Denounce Cuban Regime, Keep Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terror List
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) joined fellow Cuban American Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), and Carlos Giménez (R-FL) in a press conference to remind the Biden Administration that Cuba must remain on the State Department’s State Sponsors of Terrorism List in light of a recent trip by several Members of Congress to Cuba.
“The bottom line is we want for the Cubans what we have here in the United States: Freedom, liberty, human rights, and a free market economy,” said Rep. Salazar. “The Biden Administration and those of my colleagues who just went to Cuba must open their eyes, not drink the Kool-Aid, and not negotiate with the snake of the Cuban regime.”
Cuban regime defenders attempted to derail and interrupt the press conference with common Castroist talking points. Rep. Salazar educated them on the brutal reality that while they use their freedom to defend oppression, Cubans on the island do not have the freedom to protest for their liberty.
Early last year, Rep. Salazar reintroduced H.R. 314, the Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends Act (FORCE) Act. This bill prevents the President from removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List until they meet the requirements of Section 205 of the LIBERTAD Act (P.L. 104-114). Section 205 of the LIBERTAD Act requires Cuba to comply with the following conditions:
- Release all political prisoners and allow for investigations of Cuban prisons by appropriate international human rights organizations.
- Transition away from the Castro regime to a system that guarantees the rights of the Cuban people to express themselves freely.
- Commit to holding free and fair elections.
To watch Congresswoman Salazar’s full remarks at the press conference in English and Spanish, click here.
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