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The Republican congressman Carlos A. Giménez posted two messages on X this Friday, combining a staunch rejection of the Cuban dictatorship with strong support for the Trump administration's policy toward the island, just a day after the CIA director visited Havana.
In the first of his messages under the hashtag #SOSCuba, Giménez was emphatic: “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 posted 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 posted 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 implements "fundamental changes."
The visit generated mixed reactions within the Cuban-American Republican bloc. Although legislators such as Giménez, Mario Díaz-Balart, and María Elvira Salazar support Trump’s maximum pressure policy, they have warned against any sign of legitimizing the regime without verifiable democratic reforms.
On that same Friday, Giménez also insisted that Raúl Castro be brought to justice for "crimes against humanity," in line with a letter he signed along with Díaz-Balart, Salazar, and Senator Rick Scott urging the Department of Justice to formally charge the former dictator for the downing of the aircraft of 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 Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and the 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 1st.
On May 7, Rubio announced direct sanctions against GAESA, the military conglomerate that controls much of the formal economy of the island.
Cuba is currently experiencing its worst energy crisis in years, with widespread blackouts and a critical fuel shortage, which intensifies 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 posted "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 held since the beginning of the second Republican administration.
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