Rick Scott: Biden’s Cuba appeasement will fuel terror in the Western Hemisphere | Opinion
President Joe Biden’s decision to remove the illegitimate communist Cuban regime from the list of nations not cooperative with counterterrorism efforts is another foreign policy disaster. This move will fuel instability throughout the Western Hemisphere at a time where we already have enough chaos globally.
That’s why I’m fighting to stop Biden’s appeasement and pass my “Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends (FORCE) Act” and “Denying Earnings to the Military Oligarchy in Cuba and Restricting Activities of the Cuban Intelligence Apparatus (DEMOCRACIA) Act” to block normalization of relations with Cuba and hold the illegitimate regime accountable through severe sanctions and unprecedented financial pressure until the island sees a new day of freedom.
Biden’s appeasement approach mirrors Barack Obama’s failed strategy. It didn’t work then, it won’t work now.
In Florida, we understand appeasement of the evil regime only brings more pain and suffering to the Cuban people. Biden’s actions show he doesn’t care about freedom in Cuba or the national security risks posed by an emboldened regime. Instead, he’s pandering to the socialist sympathizers within the Democrat party who naively believe doing business with Cuba will help its people. He couldn’t be more wrong.
Appeasing the Cuban regime also makes Americans less safe. Recently, the Biden administration welcomed a Cuban government delegation behind the scenes to see our TSA security operations at Miami International Airport. Biden and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas giving agents of the Castro regime inside access to our sensitive security features makes America less safe. They are determined to appease the anti-American dictatorship and its allies at the expense of our national security.
Those who fled Cuba are fearful when they see Democrats like Biden willing to play ball with murderous regimes. I was in Miami this week on Cuban Independence Day, announcing a “Cubans for Rick Scott” coalition. Cuban-Americans understand the threats of communism, and know I’ll support their fight for freedom in Cuba and to ensure socialism never gets a foothold in Florida.
But it’s not just Biden. My opponent, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, voiced strong public support for the Obama-era appeasement policies Biden is now close to reimplementing. Voters remember they fired her after one term in Congress for not standing up to the socialists in her party. She was silent when the “Squad” secretly met with the Cuban regime and voted against a resolution condemning the regime for jailing Cuban citizens for protesting. Her silence here is deafening.
Since Biden took office, Mexico’s government has pressured his administration to ease U.S. policy toward Cuba, promising in return to crack down on the border. This pay-to-play scheme is laughable. We all know they won’t hold up their end, because the bad guys never do, but Biden is pursuing it anyway.
The irony is sickening. Biden’s appeasement of the Castro/Díaz-Canel regime, in exchange for empty promises from Mexico, will have the opposite effect. His weakness will allow more terrorists, dangerous criminals, and deadly drugs to flood into the U.S., threatening our national security and killing American citizens. Isn’t enough blood already on his hands?
Under former President Donald Trump, Mexico was forced to cooperate with U.S. border security efforts without ridiculous concessions for the Cuban regime. Biden is too weak, and cares too much about keeping our border open, to force the same result.
When Biden appeases the Cuban regime, he supports terrorism and actively aids America’s enemies in Russia, Iran, and communist China. Remember: this is the same regime that has allowed U.S. embassy staff to be attacked in Havana and is hosting communist China’s spy base just 90 miles from our shores.
I’m fighting to reverse the dangerous decisions of the Biden Administration. We must lead the defense of human rights in Latin America, not let evil regimes lead us. Letting Cuba, Mexico and China dictate American foreign policy is insane. It’s time we stand up and say enough.
Republican Rick Scott represents Florida in the United States Senate. He is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services and the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the former two-term governor of Florida.
