The Democratic candidate for the United States Senate from Florida, Angie Nixon, addressed the criticism she has faced in the final stretch of the campaign and was emphatic in an exclusive interview: "I am not a communist, I am not a socialist. When I'm asked if I believe in capitalism, my answer is simple: I own a small business."
The statements, offered exclusively to CiberCuba, come days after her responses on CBS News —where she said she would "have to believe them" when they described Cuba as a dictatorship— triggered a wave of criticism from Republicans and even from a fellow Democrat.
This time, Nixon left no room for ambiguity: "Cuba is a dictatorship, absolutely. I do not support Fidel Castro nor do I support paying him tribute or celebrating him, just as I do not support celebrating the authoritarian ruler in Washington, Donald Trump."
Nixon también prometió defender a los cubanos con I-220A. Sigue todos los detalles sobre políticas migratorias que afectan a la comunidad en nuestra sección de
Regarding the accusations of socialism linked to her affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the state representative from Jacksonville responded with irony: "It's interesting how selective these accusations are. I have many more doubts about someone's communist inclinations when they approach Delcy Rodríguez, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, and the leader of China. And that is Donald Trump."
She clarified that she does not share all the positions of the DSA, just as she does not support every proposal from the Democratic Party. She was direct in rejecting the statement released by the International Committee of the DSA following the protests on July 11, 2021 in Cuba—where they expressed solidarity with the "revolution" and blamed the embargo for the crisis, without condemning the repression—saying, "No, I do not support those statements. My solidarity will always be with those who suffer and demand their rights."
She stated that the U.S. embargo "has made things more difficult," but made it clear to point to the regime as the main responsible party for the crisis that the Cuban people are enduring.
Regarding a potential military intervention against the Cuban dictatorship, Nixon opposed it unconditionally: "I am against the use of military force. We all know how a war begins, but never how it ends and, above all, how many innocent people it harms." He cited the conflict with Iran—where he noted that around twenty American soldiers died—as an example of the risks of acting without Congressional support.
The most difficult part of the interview was reserved for the situation of Cubans with form I-220A, trapped in a migratory limbo that prevents them from applying for residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act. It is estimated that between 400,000 and 500,000 Cubans are in this situation.
"Donald Trump is the chief deporter of Cubans, the president who has deported more Cubans than any other in history: between 13,000 and 15,000," stated Nixon, a figure that PolitiFact rated as "mostly true" by combining the deportations from both terms.
The candidate accused Trump and her Republican rival, Ashley Moody, of being complicit in deporting Cuban refugees "back to the very communist dictatorship they fled from, or to countries in Africa," and denounced that Republicans have turned Miami into the national capital of ICE detentions.
The special elections for the Florida Senate, called to fill the seat left vacant by Marco Rubio upon his appointment as Secretary of State, will be held next Tuesday. A poll by NBC Miami published in mid-October showed Moody at 51% compared to Nixon's 42% among the state electorate, although among Latino voters, the difference narrowed to just one point: 45% for Nixon and 44% for Moody.
"In the Senate, I will defend and support any concrete measures, regardless of where they come from, that allow for the regularization of Cubans with I-220A under the Cuban Adjustment Act," Nixon promised. "We cannot continue to terrorize victims of authoritarian governments who have come to our country seeking refuge."
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