The Miami-Dade County tax collector, Dariel Fernández, requested a federal investigation into the alleged links of Danny Valdez, a political collaborator of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, with representatives of the Cuban regime, after details emerged about a trip to Havana where he met with Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Fernández requested that the U.S. Departments of Justice and the Treasury investigate Valdez's activities and determine if any federal laws were violated during his interactions with Cuban officials, as stated in a statement posted on his X account and reported by Florida's Voice.
“The national security of the United States is non-negotiable”, declared the Cuban-American official, who questioned Valdez's contacts with the authorities in Havana and his involvement in political activities related to Cuba.
The request comes after the American newspaper New York Post revealed that Valdez traveled to Cuba between October 22 and 26, 2023 as a member of a delegation from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which held meetings with high-ranking officials of the Cuban government, including Díaz-Canel.
The journalistic investigation was based on a travel diary that Valdez published in November 2023 and later removed from the internet. In that document, he described the political encounters of the delegation and the conditions of their stay on the Island.
According to the report, Valdez viewed the meeting with Díaz-Canel as an achievement for his organization, interpreting that the Cuban authorities saw DSA as a potential ally in efforts to lift the U.S. embargo.
Fernández questioned the circumstances of those contacts and raised several questions: “Who authorized those meetings? What commitments, if any, were made? Was there coordination with representatives of the communist-socialist dictatorship in Cuba? And what influence did these individuals have on elected U.S. officials?”.
The tax collector specifically requested that federal authorities examine whether any of the activities may have been subject to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which establishes registration and disclosure obligations for certain individuals acting in the United States on behalf of foreign interests.
It also requested to review whether the 2023 trip complied with applicable U.S. sanctions and regulations regarding travel and transactions related to Cuba, under the supervision of the Department of the Treasury.
The request does not imply that Valdez has committed an infraction or that there is an open federal investigation. Fernández requested that the authorities establish the facts and determine whether any action should be taken.
Another point highlighted by Fernández is Valdez's relationship with the mayor of New York. According to published reports, Valdez organized a fundraising event for Mamdani's campaign in 2025 and claimed to have advised him on matters related to Cuba.
The Miami-Dade official demanded that Mamdani clarify the role played by Valdez during the campaign and any relationship he currently maintains with his administration.
"Mamdani owes transparency to the American people regarding Valdez's role in his campaign and any connection to his administration. Federal authorities must clarify the facts and determine if any laws were violated," Fernández stated.
On the other hand, Valdez's trip included, in addition to meetings with Cuban authorities, the comforts enjoyed by the delegation during their stay in Havana.
The visitors stayed at the five-star Grand Aston Havana hotel and dined at exclusive restaurants. In his writings, Valdez acknowledged the contrast between these conditions and the economic hardships faced by many Cubans.
Fernández criticized this disparity and recalled the conditions of poverty in Cuba. In his statement, he cited a study from the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights which estimates that 94% of the Cuban population lives in extreme poverty.
"While these individuals enjoyed luxury hotels, swimming pools, expensive drinks, and fine dining, millions of Cubans struggled to survive under a murderous communist-socialist dictatorship that has denied its people freedom, basic human rights, and economic opportunities for generations," he expressed.
The official also referenced his experience as a Cuban emigrant and assured that he would not remain silent in the face of possible attempts by the Havana regime to influence U.S. institutions.
"I came to this great nation for the freedom that the murderous communist-socialist dictatorship of Cuba denied to my family and to millions of people," he stated.
Fernández concluded that Miami-Dade should not become a sanctuary for those who violate U.S. laws while acting in the interests of the Cuban government.
"We stand with the Cuban people, with freedom, and with the United States of America," he affirmed.
The controversy indirectly involves Zohran Mamdani, who took office as mayor of New York in January 2026 after a campaign centered on affordable housing, public transportation, and social policies.
Related videos:
Filed under: