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The Republican congressman Carlos A. Giménez posted two messages on X this Friday, combining an outright rejection of the Cuban dictatorship with strong support for the Trump administration's policy towards the island, one day after the CIA director visited Havana.
In the first of his messages under the hashtag #SOSCuba, Giménez was clear: "We will never forgive those who destroyed our beautiful island. Those who tortured, imprisoned, and executed our families and friends. Those who separated us from the people and places we love. The dictatorship in Cuba must come to an end!"
Minutes later, in a second message published at 8:30 PM, the congressman changed his tone to express optimism: "Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio, we will make Cuba great again!"
The two tweets were published just four minutes apart and in the immediate context of the visit of the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, to Havana on Thursday, May 14, where he met with Cuban intelligence officials, including Raúl Guillermo "Raulito" Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro.
According to information from Axios, Ratcliffe conveyed a message from Trump to the regime: Washington is willing to engage in dialogue on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes "fundamental changes."
The visit generated mixed reactions within the Cuban-American Republican bloc. Although lawmakers such as Giménez, Mario Díaz-Balart, and María Elvira Salazar support Trump's maximum pressure policy, they have warned against any signs of legitimizing the regime without verifiable democratic reforms.
That same Friday, Giménez also demanded that Raúl Castro be brought to justice for "crimes against humanity," in line with a letter he himself signed alongside Díaz-Balart, Salazar, and Senator Rick Scott, urging the Department of Justice to formally charge the former dictator for the downing of the planes from Brothers to the Rescue on February 24, 1996.
Giménez, the only member of the United States Congress born in Cuba, represents Florida's 28th District (Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys) and is a member of the Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Select Committee on China.
His statements come at a time of sustained escalation of U.S. pressure on Havana. Trump signed an executive order that expands sanctions against key sectors of the Cuban economy, including energy, defense, and financial services on May 1.
On May 7, Rubio announced direct sanctions against GAESA, the military conglomerate that controls a large part of the island's formal economy.
Cuba is currently experiencing its worst energy crisis in years, with widespread blackouts and a critical shortage of fuel, which increases internal pressure on the regime and serves as the backdrop for the tactical opening that some sectors of the Cuban government seem to be exploring with Washington.
In March, Giménez had already used a similar phrase when he published “Let’s make Cuba great again!” after thanking Trump for his leadership against the regime, which makes his messages this Friday a reaffirmation of a stance he has maintained since the beginning of the second Republican administration.
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