Florida Democrats are blasting President Joe Biden over the decision to remove Cuba from the list of states sponsoring terrorism and lifting other sanctions, saying it will further hurt their standing with the Latino population in the state.
"This is Joe Biden literally sinking the Democratic Party in the state of Florida. Big time," said Rep. Jared Moskowitz. "Just as we try to patch the hole in the boat, Biden punches another hole in it. Florida is a red state, and Biden just waved the white flag of surrender," he added, according to Axios.
Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried agreed with the notion, saying in a statement that she was "disappointed" in Biden's decision. The outlet cited a source who discussed the matter with her and said Fried felt "blindsided" and "enraged" by it.
The Biden administration said the decision was part of a deal brokered by the Catholic Church and involved the release of over 500 prisoners by the Cuban regime. President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the release on Tuesday shortly after the news broke.
The decision, however, is likely to be reversed as early as next week as Donald Trump, a fierce critic of Cuba's communist regime, takes office. Trump's nominee for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American himself, shares the view.
Rubio is set to have his nomination hearing on Wednesday, just hours after the decision. Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump's incoming envoy to Latin America, linked the two news saying that the "Biden administration might see this as an 'F You' to Rubio, but we'll get the last laugh."
Rubio is set to be one of many prominent Cuban-American who are now in position to take on significant roles in U.S. foreign policy under the incoming Trump administration, with a likely focus on the Caribbean island and the rest of Latin America.
He has consistently advocated for strict policies targeting the Cuban government, which has faced increased economic hardship. During the Obama administration's efforts to restore diplomatic relations with Havana, Rubio staunchly opposed engagement policies, viewing them as concessions to a repressive regime:
For the Cuban government, Trump's victory and Rubio's nomination come at an extremely difficult moment. Besides going through the most severe economic crisis in decades, the island has been rattled by a recent hurricane and back-to-back earthquakes which have left its already precarious infrastructure in shambles.
Three high profile Democrats from Florida have switched parties over the past weeks, citing frustration with the party's policies. The latest one to do so is Doral Vice Mayor Maureen Porras.
Speaking to The Floridian, Porras said the election "was a clear and resounding message from voters that our country needed a strong leader." "President Trump's leadership transcends all levels of government," she added.
She follows two other Democrats who joined the Republican Party in December, state Reps. Hillary Cassel and Susan Valdes. The former did so citing concerns including the party's position on the Israel-Hamas war.
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