Florida Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R) spoke exclusively with The Floridian Publisher Javier Manjarres, discussing the Trump administration’s recent efforts to pressure the Communist government in Cuba.
Rep. Diaz-Balart, chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, and a member of the Subcommittee on Defense, touched on the potential for a U.S. government-backed regime transition and anti-war activists who recently traveled to the island.
"Well, look, here’s the scoop. You have an administration that is first focused on U.S. national security interests. Number two is a focus on the Western Hemisphere, and third, you have a regime that to say they're struggling is the understatement of the century," Rep. Diaz-Balart said when asked about updates on the Trump administration's campaign against the nation.
Rep. Diaz Balart affirmed that Cuba's economy is nonexistent, with most of its economic stability stemming from allied support.
“They have no economy. Remember, they’ve been surviving off subsidies. First from the Soviet Union and later from [Venezuela’s] Chavez/Maduro [regime]. That’s all dried up. And, again, you have an administration that’s just not willing to look the other way, while we have a blatantly anti-American State Sponsor of Terrorism 90 miles away from the United States,” Rep. Díaz-Balart stated.
“I’m actually very grateful for what this administration is doing, and they’re focused on it," he added.
Rep. Diaz-Balart was also asked about the anti-war organization CODEPINK and its recent travel to the island.
Diaz-Balart shared his dissent for the organization’s trip to meet with Cuban government officials and to protest the Trump administration’s economic sanctions on the country.
“Yeah, that was something really shameful. The Cuban people, as you know, electricity is basically blackouts, and by the way, those blackouts didn’t start now. They started way before the [former Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro thing. It’s a regime that can’t provide anything to the people. It’s not only that they can’t, they don’t care to," Diaz-Balart added.“ And then you have these folks going there, you know, the main organizer, look at the video she did. She’s in first class.
Diaz-Balart concluded, It’s really beyond grotesque. But I think most people saw through it.”
