Cuban-American Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar expressed her support for Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday amid reports of discreet contacts with Raúl Castro's circle to explore a potential political transition in Cuba.
During an event in South Florida marking the 30th anniversary of the downing of the planes belonging to Hermanos al Rescate, Salazar was emphatic about Rubio's role in this pivotal moment.
“Marco Rubio is not going to negotiate anything. He will discuss how the Cuban leaders are leaving and what the different stages of this transition will be,” he stated.
The congresswoman added that those alleged contacts between Rubio and Raúl Castro's close circle cannot be publicly confirmed.
"What remains to be seen is what the Castro regime will do (...) And what we do know is that President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will do the right thing, which is to free the Cubans from oppression," he stated.
His statements were interpreted as a message of continuity in the policy towards Havana and support for Rubio in response to the criticisms arising from sectors of the exile community following the reports from Axios and the Miami Herald, where several sources claim that the Secretary of State is in negotiations with Raul Castro's grandson.
They demand the prosecution of Raúl Castro
In the same event, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart avoided confirming or denying the alleged exchanges between Rubio and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo".
"No, I am not going to confirm or deny that. It is the administration that determines what they want to say," he replied.
Díaz-Balart reiterated the request for the Department of Justice to consider formally charging Raúl Castro for his alleged responsibility in the downing of the planes on February 24, 1996.
In the same vein, Congressman Carlos A. Giménez stated that they are “demanding the prosecution of the dictator Raúl Castro,” which he described as a struggle for freedom and justice.
Rubio, Trump, and the Transition in Cuba
Reports about alleged conversations between Rubio and Rodríguez Castro have sparked a debate within the Cuban exile community regarding the acceptable boundaries for a potential transition.
According to Axios, Rubio's contacts do not include Miguel Díaz-Canel, but rather the circles that Washington views as the real power in Havana. The Cuban regime denied that formal negotiations exist and has labeled media reports as "speculations."
Marco Rubio acts under the leadership of President Donald Trump, who stated that his administration is talking "with people at the highest levels in Cuba." They will have the final decision on any agreement from the United States regarding the political transition on the island.
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