The Attorney General of Florida, James Uthmeier, issued an investigative subpoena this Tuesday against the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to determine whether the organization received contributions or support from the governments of Cuba and China, in an action that prompted immediate reactions in the state's political sphere.
The citation is based on Florida's Law on Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices and the state regulations that govern the request for funds from local donors. Uthmeier explained that the investigation aims to determine whether DSA acted transparently and within the law in its fundraising campaigns related to international travel.
"We are examining whether DSA accepted contributions or support from concerning foreign sources, including the regimes of Cuba and China, and whether their fundraising among donors from Florida was completely transparent and legal," stated the prosecutor.
The research focuses on two international delegations of the organization. The first, consisting of approximately 40 leaders and members —including the two national co-chairs—, traveled to Cuba for five days in October 2025. During that visit, the delegation toured schools and hospitals, brought educational and medical supplies, and met with the Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío.
The second delegation, consisting of five members, traveled to China in September 2025 for the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia.
The prosecutor's office is also examining the so-called "Venceremos Fund," a fund created in January 2026 by DSA National Political Committee member Christian Araos to finance international delegations of the organization. Fund requests linked to DSA chapters in Florida reportedly sought tens of thousands of dollars to cover the costs of these trips.
The legal action is based on state law SB 700, effective from July 1, 2025, which prohibits registered nonprofit organizations in Florida from accepting contributions from countries designated as "of concern," a category that includes Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Violations may result in fines of up to 10,000 dollars and the cancellation of the registration to fundraise in the state.
The moment of the citation did not go unnoticed. Just a week earlier, on November 3, Ashley Herrmann, a Democratic candidate supported by DSA, defeated the Republican Danny Alvarez in District 69 of the Florida House of Representatives with 51.7% of the votes, becoming the first individual identified with democratic socialism elected to the state legislature in over a century.
It is not the first time that the ties of figures associated with DSA to the Cuban regime have generated controversy. In October 2026, the tax collector of Miami-Dade, Dariel Fernández, requested an investigation into the alleged connections of Danny Valdez —a collaborator of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani— with Cuban representatives, after it was revealed that Valdez had participated in a DSA delegation that met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel in October 2023.
A national spokesperson for DSA responded to the summons with a single statement: "We have no comment at this time."
Uthmeier was categorical in announcing the measure: "We will not allow foreign adversaries to influence Florida through the backdoor of nonprofit fundraising."
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