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The former mixed martial arts fighter (Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC) Jorge Masvidal, in an interview with Fox News Digital, openly called on President Donald Trump to end the dictatorship on the island, stating that this action "should have been taken 60 years ago."
Masvidal, one of the most prominent figures in UFC history and known for his explosive record for the fastest knockout in the organization, spoke during the Hispanic Prosperity Gala held at Mar-a-Lago. There, he connected his political activism to his family's history, which was shaped by their escape from communism.
"My father, being Cuban, escaping that horrible and tyrannical government... let’s not allow what happened there to happen here," he stated to the American media. The fighter insisted that socialism and communism are “a horror movie” that his family has already experienced firsthand. “Screw communism!” he expressed outright.
According to the publication by Fox News, Masvidal stated that Trump should act in Cuba as he did in Venezuela, referring to the operation on January 3 in which Nicolás Maduro was captured and transported to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.
“One hundred percent in Cuba… I assure you this should have been done 60 years ago. People need it. They've needed it. They are literally dying there. We need this. We need this for Cuba,” he stated.
The statements from the former wrestler connect with a discourse he has maintained for years. Masvidal has recounted how his family risked their lives to leave the island. He recalled, for example, that one of his aunts attempted to cross a minefield near Guantánamo and was injured when a landmine exploded, shattering her teeth. Those stories, he said, shaped his political vision from a young age.
Although he has become a visible voice of the conservative Latino wing and a strong supporter of Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis, Masvidal has taken a more nuanced stance on immigration. He stated that violent criminals should be deported, but he expressed concern for hardworking Latinos who have been in the United States for decades, pay taxes, and still lack legal status.
"Most of my family still doesn't have papers," she confessed, while calling for solutions for those who "really live well here" and contribute to the country.
Masvidal, who closed his professional career with a record of 35-17 and the nickname "Gamebred," has transcended the octagon to become an influential political figure within the Cuban-American community. Now, at a time when the economic and social situation in Cuba continues to push thousands to emigrate, his words resonate again among those who feel that the island's plight remains unresolved.
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