President Barack Obama’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba are taking center stage in South Florida as what promises to be one of the most competitive congressional races in the nation is starting to heat up.
Freshman U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., has criticized Obama’s outreach to the Castro regime, including calling him out for his trip to Cuba earlier this week.
Earlier this week, Curbelo took aim at Obama’s remarks in Cuba.
“Regrettably, absent from his remarks were any demands to benefit American interests and US national security,” Curbelo said about Obama’s speech in Cuba on Tuesday. “The Castro regime continues harboring American criminals including those responsible for the deaths of US citizens and countless Medicare fraudsters. The regime maintains one of the most robust spy networks in the United States and still collaborates with our most dangerous enemies. They are responsible for the greatest theft of American property in our country's history. Apparently the president did not consider any of this worth mentioning, while he again publicly supported Raul Castro's demands for more unearned sanctions relief.
“The president has been very generous and patient with Cuba's dictators,” Curbelo added. “Now it's on them to show they are serious about a new future for the Cuban people and for the US-Cuba relationship."
Curbelo also looked to showcase his opposition to Obama’s visit, appearing on “Mornings with Maria” on Fox Business on Tuesday and stressing his position.
“I pose this question to President Obama as he concludes his visit,” Curbelo noted on Tuesday. “What concessions have the United States and the people of Cuba actually received in your predisposed appeasement to the oppressive Castro dictatorship?”
Curbelo continued his attack on Obama’s trip to Cuba on Monday, launching a petitioning effort “to demand President Obama unequivocally denounce the Castro regime’s human rights abuses.”
“President Obama is the first president in 88 years to visit Cuba," Curbelo noted. “I have been very clear from the beginning: President Obama’s trip to Cuba is a mistake. We should not legitimize the Castro’s military regime while they continue to deny their people basic human rights.
“Just yesterday, authorities arrested more than 50 Ladies in White (or Damas de Blanco) for protesting the ruthless and violent nature of the Castro regime,” Curbelo added. “With Cuba in the spotlight, President Obama has a chance to condemn this and other abuses carried out by the Castro regime.
“President Obama has been tiptoeing around the issue,” Curbelo concluded. “I am calling on him to step up and boldly criticize the Castro regime.”
While Curbelo continued to oppose Obama’s efforts in Cuba, he drew fire from the left. Democrats have high hopes of flipping Curbelo’s seat in November with the latest redistricting efforts making the seat far more favorable to their party.
Former Miami Dade Democratic Party Chairwoman Annette Taddeo slammed Curbelo for standing against Obama.
“This week, President Obama made history by becoming the first president since 1928 to set foot in Cuba," Taddeo insisted on Wednesday night. “But instead of commending progress, Rep. Carlos Curbelo doubled down on his staunch opposition to the president’s trip calling it ‘disappointing’ and a ‘mistake.’ This is an issue where Curbelo and I couldn’t differ more.
“The president’s trip is the first step in bringing the long-awaited freedom, liberty and justice the Cuban people deserve,” Taddeo continued. “It’s up to responsible leaders in South Florida and across the country to continue to build on this progress -- not oppose it.”
Former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., who Curbelo defeated in 2014, is also running for the Democratic nomination. Garcia told PRI in a story that ran this week that he backed Obama’s efforts in Cuba.
“I think the president going to Cuba serves tremendous interest of the administration and its policies,” Garcia told PRI.
“Today you have a vibrant and growing civil society,” Garcia added to PRI about Cuba. “This policy is successful. Is it exactly what we want? Is Cuba a thriving — I don’t know — Western European democracy? No, of course not. But certainly it’s better today than it was a decade ago.”
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @ KevinDerbySSN
