Líderes Republicanos Equivocados en Torno a Cuba
October 24, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC - El Presidente Bush ofreció un discurso sobre la política hacia Cuba de su Administración luego de casi ocho años de ofrecerle promesas vacías a la comunidad Cubano Americana, y luego de haber repatriado a unos 8,000 refugiados Cubanos que huían del regimen Castrista durante su presidencia. [New York Times, 10/23/07; AP, 10/24/07; New York Sun, 1/18/06]
El discurso, demasiado poco y demasiado tarde, sigue una serie de errores torpes cometidos por los potenciales sucesores del Presidente en el Partido Republicano durante su búsqueda de apoyo en la comunidad Cubano Americana en Florida. Mitt Romney ha usado frases de Castro y promovido estereotipos, Fred Thompson ha acusado a los refugiados Cubanos de traer bombas en maletas a la vez que ha defendido su hábito de fumar cigarros ilegalmente traídos de Cuba, y Rudy Giuliani le ha enviado mensajes confusos a la comunidad.
"Si los esfuerzos torpes de los candidatos Republicanos nos dicen algo, es que otra Administración Republicana sería tan irrelevante en torno a Cuba como lo ha sido la Administración Bush," dijo el portavoz del Comité Nacional Demócrata Luis Miranda. "El historial Republicano es uno de fracasos, no solo en los temas de Cuba, sino también por seguir avanzando políticas que le harían daño a la comunidad Cubano Americana como la privatización del Seguro Social y el veto de la cobertura de cuidado médico para los niños de nuestro país. En el tema de Cuba, en el cual estamos unidos en querer ayudarle al pueblo Cubano lograr la libertad y la democracia, al igual que en temas domésticos, la comunidad Cubano Americana se merece más que promesas vacías."
Algunos de los errores más notables de los candidatos Republicanos incluyen los siguientes:
Fred Thompson
Thompson Dijo Que Los Cubano Que Huyen del Regimen Castrista Pueden Traer Bombas en Maletas a los E.E.U.U. During a speech, Thompson "decried the flow of illegal immigrants from Cuba,saying: 'I don't imagine they're coming here to bring greetings from Castro. We're living in the era of the suitcase bomb.'" [Associated Press, 6/27/07]
Thompson No Tiene Problema Con Fumar Cigarros "Ilegales" Cubanos. "In a Political Connections interview airing...on Bay News 9, Thompson brushed off the apparent contradiction between the embargo and his fondness for Cuban stogies. 'If I have a friend that occasionally passes me a cigar, I don't check its heritage,' he said. 'You know, if it's good, I smoke it.' Miami-Dade Democratic chairman Joe Garcia questioned whether law-and-order voters will embrace a candidate 'who smokes something illegal.'" [St. Pete Times, 9/16/07]
Mitt Romney
Romney Usó Frase de Castro en Un Discurso. Romney triggered outrage in Miami by quoting Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's traditional sign-off line "patria o muerte, venceremos" - a "Communist rallying cry" which means "Fatherland or death, we shall overcome." The incident and Romney's woeful explanation of it prompted one local activist to call him an "empty suit," while others criticized his lack of preparation on Cuban issues. [Miami Herald, 3/20/07; Boston Herald, 3/21/07]
La Defensa de Romney Empeoró el Escandalo, Dijo Que la Frase le Pertenecía a Una Cuba Libre. Scholars and prominent Cubans said "Patria o muerte, venceremos" has always been a Communist rallying cry and that it represents the oppressive regime of Fidel Castro. Florida state-Representative Rene Garcia said, "It means communism. It means Fidel Castro. It's a Communist catch phrase." However, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said, "The phrase belongs to liberators, not oppressors. It doesn't belong to Fidel Castro. It doesn't belong to Hugo Chavez. It belongs to a free Cuba." Garcia said Romney was "ill-advised" to mention the saying, especially at the epicenter of the Cuban-American struggle. Garcia said, "When you come into our community, you should be a little better-prepared." He added that Romney's comments "left a negative taste with local officials." [Boston Herald, 3/20/07]
Romney Ofendió a la Comunidad Cubano Americana Con Uso de Estereotipos. Romney delivered a speech to the Miami-Dade Republican Party that was heavy on anti-communist rhetoric but full of errors. First, he condemned the Venezuelan president who has embraced Castro. Romney said, ''Hugo Chávez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase -- Patria o muerte, venceremos. It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba.'' Actually, the quote belongs to Castro who is abhorred in the Cuban American community. The quote, for many Cuban Americans, represents the oppressive regime of Fidel Castro. Then, "he punctuated his speech with 'Libertad, libertad, libertad!' to show his support for freedom in Cuba. But to some, he was echoing a line from Scarface, a movie notorious for its stereotyped portrayal of Cuban immigrants." [Miami Herald, 3/19/07]
Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Envía Mensajes Confusos. During a recent visit to Miami, Rudy Giuliani "repeated his mantra that Fidel and Raúl Castro are 'tyrants and thugs.'" At the same event, "asked if he would push for a grand jury indictment of the ailing Castro and his brother...Giuliani did not go as far as saying there should be a grand jury convened." Asked why he didn't say the same things "to Spanish-speaking voters when he was invited to debate on Univision, [Giuliani] said he had so many debate invitations he just couldn't fit it." [AP , 10/19/07; Miami Herald, 10/24/07]
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For Immediate Release
October 24, 2007
Contact: Luis Miranda - 202-863-8148
Republican Leadership Wrong on Cuba
WASHINGTON, DC - President Bush delivered a speech today on Cuba policy after almost eight years of offering Cuban Americans empty promises, having repatriated some 8,000 Cuban refugees fleeing the Castro regime during his tenure. [New York Times, 10/23/07; AP, 10/24/07; New York Sun, 1/18/06]
The President's too little, too late speech also comes after his would-be successors in the Republican Party have left a less than favorable impression after tripping over their own feet while trying to court the Cuban American community in Florida. Mitt Romney has quoted Castro and promoted unflattering stereotypes, Fred Thompson has accused Cuban refugees of bringing suitcase bombs but defended the fact he smokes illegal Cuban cigars, and Rudy Giuliani has sent the community mixed messages.
"If the bumbling efforts of the Republican presidential candidates are any indication, another Republican Administration would be just as irrelevant on Cuba as the Bush Administration has been," said Democratic National Committee Spokesman Luis Miranda. "The Republican Record is one of failure, not just on Cuba issues, but for continuing to promote policies that would hurt the Cuban American community like threatening to privatize Social Security and vetoing health care for our nation's children. On Cuba, where we all stand united to help the Cuban people achieve freedom and democracy, as well as on domestic issues, the Cuban American people deserve more than empty promises."
Some of the highlights from this year's Republican presidential candidates include:
Fred Thompson
Thompson Says Cubans Fleeing the Castro Regime Would Bring Suitcase Bombs Into the US. During a speech, Thompson "decried the flow of illegal immigrants from Cuba,saying: 'I don't imagine they're coming here to bring greetings from Castro. We're living in the era of the suitcase bomb.'" [Associated Press, 6/27/07]
Thompson OK Smoking "illegal" Cuban stogies. "In a Political Connections interview airing...on Bay News 9, Thompson brushed off the apparent contradiction between the embargo and his fondness for Cuban stogies. 'If I have a friend that occasionally passes me a cigar, I don't check its heritage,' he said. 'You know, if it's good, I smoke it.' Miami-Dade Democratic chairman Joe Garcia questioned whether law-and-order voters will embrace a candidate 'who smokes something illegal.'" [St. Pete Times, 9/16/07]
Mitt Romney
"Empty Suit" Romney Embraces Castro Rhetoric. Romney triggered outrage in Miami by quoting Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's traditional sign-off line "patria o muerte, venceremos" - a "Communist rallying cry" which means "Fatherland or death, we shall overcome." The incident and Romney's woeful explanation of it prompted one local activist to call him an "empty suit," while others criticized his lack of preparation on Cuban issues. [Miami Herald, 3/20/07; Boston Herald, 3/21/07]
Romney Response Worsens Scandal, Claimed Castro Phrase Belongs to "Free Cuba." Scholars and prominent Cubans said "Patria o muerte, venceremos" has always been a Communist rallying cry and that it represents the oppressive regime of Fidel Castro. Florida state-Representative Rene Garcia said, "It means communism. It means Fidel Castro. It's a Communist catch phrase." However, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said, "The phrase belongs to liberators, not oppressors. It doesn't belong to Fidel Castro. It doesn't belong to Hugo Chavez. It belongs to a free Cuba." Garcia said Romney was "ill-advised" to mention the saying, especially at the epicenter of the Cuban-American struggle. Garcia said, "When you come into our community, you should be a little better-prepared." He added that Romney's comments "left a negative taste with local officials." [Boston Herald, 3/20/07]
Romney Offended Cuban Americans with Stereotypical Comments. Romney delivered a speech to the Miami-Dade Republican Party that was heavy on anti-communist rhetoric but full of errors. First, he condemned the Venezuelan president who has embraced Castro. Romney said, ''Hugo Chávez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase -- Patria o muerte, venceremos. It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba.'' Actually, the quote belongs to Castro who is abhorred in the Cuban American community. The quote, for many Cuban Americans, represents the oppressive regime of Fidel Castro. Then, "he punctuated his speech with 'Libertad, libertad, libertad!' to show his support for freedom in Cuba. But to some, he was echoing a line from Scarface, a movie notorious for its stereotyped portrayal of Cuban immigrants." [Miami Herald, 3/19/07]
Rudy Giuliani
Rudy's Mixed Messages. During a recent visit to Miami, Rudy Giuliani "repeated his mantra that Fidel and Raúl Castro are 'tyrants and thugs.'" At the same event, "asked if he would push for a grand jury indictment of the ailing Castro and his brother...Giuliani did not go as far as saying there should be a grand jury convened." Asked why he didn't say the same things "to Spanish-speaking voters when he was invited to debate on Univision, [Giuliani] said he had so many debate invitations he just couldn't fit it." [AP , 10/19/07; Miami Herald, 10/24/07]
