Phil Ehr, retired US Navy captain and Democratic candidate for Congress in Florida's 28th District, stated last Friday that he will support decisive military action against the Cuban regime if Congress receives a legally authorized and credible mission.
Ehr presented what he described as a "Comprehensive Plan for the Freedom of Cuba and its Democratic Transition," a document consisting of six points that includes everything from legislative authorization for the use of force to the adoption of the 13-pillar roadmap from the Cuban American National Foundation (FNCA) as the foundation for the country's reconstruction after the end of the regime.
"If Congress receives a credible and lawful mission, I will support decisive U.S. military action to depose the communist regime," the candidate stated in a statement issued from Miami.
The stance is unusual for a Democrat, but it reflects the electoral reality of District 28, which includes the southwestern part of Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys, with a population of approximately 769,000 residents, more than 71% of whom are Hispanic, and Cuban Americans represent the most influential bloc.
Ehr faces off against the Republican congressman Carlos Giménez, born in Havana and the only member of the U.S. Congress born in Cuba, who won the 2024 elections with 64.5% of the votes compared to the 35.6% received by Ehr. This is the second time Ehr has contested that seat.
The Democratic candidate took advantage of the announcement to directly attack Giménez, who days earlier had posted on social media a photo montage of Brazilian President Lula da Silva in an image referencing the capture of Nicolás Maduro, with the caption “What awaits him… #Brazil”.
"Carlos Giménez may entertain the idea of a U.S. military intervention in Brazil, but he has yet to present a serious plan or made an equally clear commitment to act against the Cuban dictatorship," Ehr pointed out. "Why is he willing to pretend to be tough everywhere, except where it matters most for the people he claims to represent?"
Ehr dismissed the idea that his proposal would involve an improvised war or a permanent occupation. "I am not asking for another improvised war, a symbolic attack, or a permanent U.S. occupation. I am asking for a defined mission, legal authority, overwhelming capability, protection for the civilian population, and a prepared transition plan before initiating any action," he clarified.
The candidate also appealed to his personal experience: during his first mission in the Navy, he participated in the rescue of Cuban families in the Florida Straits. "Their bravery and their stories have never left me," said Ehr, who last April had argued that "negotiating with the communist Cuba is not the way to free the Cuban people. We must suffocate the regime to free the people."
The announcement comes at a time of intense pressure from the Trump administration on the Cuban regime, with more than 240 sanctions imposed since January 2026, including sanctions against the business conglomerate GAESA and Cuba's re-listing as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Meanwhile, the regime responds with a rhetoric of resistance that contrasts with the decline experienced by the population. Díaz-Canel admitted in June that “creative resistance is no longer enough,” although the Castro nomenclature remains determined to cling to power while Cubans endure blackouts, shortages, and a massive exodus.
The communist regime cannot survive against the united determination of the Cuban people, the Cuban diaspora, and the United States of America. What has been lacking is leadership with the courage to declare the mission, the strength to act, and the discipline to ensure peace," concluded Ehr.
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