Businessman Jorge Martinez, one of several Republican challengers to Representative Darren Soto (D-FL) for Florida's redrawn 9th Congressional District, discussed his Cuban roots, the threat of socialism, and the United States' relationship with Latin America in a recent interview with The Floridian, saying the U.S. has "taken their eye" off this part of the world.
Cuban Roots and the Threat of Socialism
Martinez expressed confidence in his electoral chances, "and the reason is because I am the only one that can talk about some of the issues that everybody is talking about right now," and by that, he meant the "thing about pushing back against the socialist, left-leaning Democrat Party."
"We can talk about all of these other issues, whether it is the economy or whether it is parental choice or whatever it is," Martinez continued, "but the important thing is pushing back against this socialist ideology, which I always say to people is communist-lite."
After all, Martinez is running to represent a district whose population is 40% Hispanic, with many from Cuba or descended from Cubans. Martinez himself described fleeing the island in 1973 as a boy, "and here we are, 53 years later, and I'm living the American Dream."
If elected, Martinez would notably be the second-ever Cuban-born Congressman, the first being Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL).
The U.S.'s Eye Off Latin America?
The Floridian asked Martinez about the importance of foreign policy, to which he said, "Foreign policy is important for one very important reason: Look at what is happening in Central and South America. For many, many, many years, the United States has taken their eye off of what was happening in Central and South America."
The result, Martinez continued, was that China, Russia, and Iran have formed military alliances with these nations and have begun to build bases in order to spy on the United States.
Fortunately, however, he emphasized that "We had President Trump become President here, then we had [Javier] Milei in Argentina, and now you are starting to see all of these countries starting to go to the right and get away from socialism. How could that not be good for the United States of America?"
The primary is August 18th.
