Related videos:
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, candidate for governor of Florida with the full support of President Donald Trump, reiterated his hardline stance against the Cuban regime this Sunday in an interview with journalist Ilia Calderón for the program "Esta Semana" on the N+ channel.
"When it comes to Cuba, yes, the Cuban regime must fall because it is time for freedom and peace to reign in Cuba," Donalds stated during the conversation, in which he also compared the Havana government to the Iranian regime.
"Whether it's the Iranian regime or the communist dictatorship in Cuba... these regimes do not respect women, do not respect freedom of expression, do not respect property rights, and do not respect Western civilization," declared the congressman.
Donalds went further by stating that he hopes to see a free Cuba following the departure of Díaz-Canel: "I think if you see that in Cuba after the Castro regime is gone, and Díaz-Canel, by the way, is also gone, what you will see is more investment or more opportunities for the Cuban people to thrive. That's a good thing. That's what we want."
This is not the first time Donalds has issued such messages. In February 2026, he posted on X that the Cuban regime is a "brutal and murderous communist dictatorship" and that "the regime must go." In March, he escalated his tone by declaring "it's time for that regime to fall," and in April, on NBC's "Meet the Press," he stated that he supports a "total regime change in Cuba".
This Sunday's interview comes just days after Donalds announced that he has officially qualified for the gubernatorial race, a position that no Black Republican has held in Florida's history.
Regarding his position in the race, Donalds himself noted that he holds a 45-point lead in the Republican primary polls. A survey by the Florida Agricultural Institute conducted from June 3 to 7 places him at 46% ahead of his closest rivals. His campaign and political committee had $65.8 million in cash as of June 1.
Trump reaffirmed his support for Donalds in May 2026, describing him as someone who would be "a truly great and powerful governor for Florida." Donalds acknowledged that support in the interview: "I obviously have the full backing of President Trump. I am very grateful for that."
Regarding the Cuban community that arrives in the United States irregularly, Donalds was straightforward: "Right now, we don't even have a relationship with Cuba. So, if someone enters the United States illegally... they leave Cuba, go to Mexico, exit Mexico, cross the southern border, what are we supposed to do as a country?"
The Republican primary in Florida is scheduled for August 18, 2026, and the general election for November 3, 2026.
Filed under: