The Cuban saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera reacted with skepticism and irony to the state arrest order issued by Florida against Raúl Castro, describing it as "blah, blah, blah" and stating that he sees no concrete results from the ongoing legal actions and sanctions against the Cuban regime.
In an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba, D'Rivera responded upon learning that, in addition to the federal indictment on May 20, 2026, Florida has issued a state arrest warrant with no bail against the Cuban dictator. The warrant was signed on October 16 by Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, and it was publicly announced three days later by the state's Attorney General, James Uthmeier.
"Hey, I'm really scared, Marco Rubio has given me chills. It's been way too long with all this blah, blah, blah. Sanctions come and go, and I'm going to arrest you. The truth is, I don't see any results coming from this," the musician stated.
D'Rivera acknowledged that he has admired Rubio since his early years of political activism, but he insisted that threats without practical consequences are worthless. "Because they are threats, blah, blah, blah. And there really is nothing, nothing solid that eases the suffering of the Cuban people," he stated.
When asked what concrete advantage the measure would have for Cubans, the musician was direct: "Revenge. It's a bit late for that." He referenced a phrase from musician and composer Tony Taño to illustrate his point: "Look, it's too late for two meals. We need to do something, we need to do something, but something serious for those people."
D'Rivera also pointed out the practical irony of the state's own order. The action by Florida is independent of the federal charge and cannot be overturned by a presidential pardon, but its enforcement depends on Castro setting foot on U.S. soil. The musician noted that Castro, at 95 years old, remains in Cuba and his health condition makes any travel unlikely.
"And one says, well, Raúl Castro is going to leave Cuba first," the artist commented.
D'Rivera went further by pointing out the transfer mechanism established by the order. If Castro were to be arrested in another state, the authorities would be required to send him to Florida. "But oh, how ridiculous both sides are, man."
The state order complements the federal charges filed in May, which include seven counts against Castro and five former Cuban military officials for the shooting down of two civilian aircraft from Hermanos al Rescate on February 24, 1996, resulting in the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
For his part, Miguel Díaz-Canel came to the defense of Raúl Castro and described the order as a "pathetic Miami circus."
D'Rivera concluded his reflection with a phrase that sums up his stance: "No, no, blah, blah, blah. Sanctions, sanctions, and I still don't see the results. At first, it made me laugh, the unfortunate situation." For the musician, the Cuban people remain the great forgotten, "bearing the full weight of the arbitrariness from both sides."
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