Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who is Cuban-American, thinks that Fidel Castro’s death is not enough – now he is calling on President-elect Donald Trump to roll back any concessions that were enacted under President Barack Obama’s administration. This call was a direct response to Castro’s death on November 25, 2016, after battling ill health for many years.
The day after Castro’s passing, Rubio released a statement that minced no words: even though Castro has died, that does not mean that the country’s dictatorship government has also fallen.
In an interview with ABC, he recanted the grim realities of his family’s hardships in Cuba, noting that many Cubans were forced to be refugees due to cruelty and threats of death.
His father and aunt were jailed under the Batista regime, which was, oddly enough, overthrown by Castro in the late 1950s.
President Obama’s Concessions
Even though there have been prior instances of presidents and leaders trying to reach out to Cuba, it wasn’t until 2013 when President Obama had diplomatic discussions with Cuba.
Pope Francis was a pivotal figure in the conversations between the United States and Cuba, acting as a type of broker between the two nations, encouraging them to normalize relations.
The terms were ultimately finalized, and President Obama and Castro announced diplomatic ties in December 2014.
Why Is Rubio Complaining?
Rubio isn’t opposed to a democratic relationship between the United States and Cuba, but he wants it to be “reciprocal.”
In the confusing haze post-Castro’s death, Donald Trump has also flip-flopped on Cuba. In an interview with the Daily Caller in 2015, Trump said that he is open to the idea of the United States having a relationship with Cuba.
Now the President-elect has reversed his stance, constantly attacking President Barack Obama’s efforts to normalize American and Cuban relations.
What do you think? Can a relationship between the United States and Cuba survive a Trump presidency, plus an emotionally confused Marco Rubio?
Watch this video of the crowds celebrating Fidel Castro’s death:
Featured Image: Screenshot Via YouTube Video.
