The city of Miami, notorious for being comprised of a mostly Hispanic (particularly Cuban) population is set to host its first-ever anti-communism concert in April. The Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez, announced the city’s anti-communist efforts as a response to pro-Castro comments that Bernie Sanders made during his 60 Minutes interview with host Anderson Cooper.
Senator Sanders, who is currently running for the Democratic presidential nomination, stated that “It’s unfair to simply say everything is bad. When Fidel Castro came to office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?” These comments struck rage in the hearts of people across Florida.
Fidel Castro, the communist dictator that took control over Cuba for nearly five decades and tortured its inhabitants, is resented far and wide by Cubans both in America and across the world alike. Sanders’ pro-Castro comments were met with outrage from Americans of all political affiliations. Even fellow Democrats are slamming Sanders for his controversial comments.
Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell said about the comments, “As the first South American immigrant member of Congress who proudly represents thousands of Cuban Americans, I find Senator Bernie Sanders’ comments on Castro’s Cuba absolutely unacceptable.” Lourdes Diaz, the Cuban-American president of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus in Broward County said, “I’m totally disgusted and insulted. Maybe this will open people’s eyes to how super, super liberal and radical Bernie is. I’m not going to defend him anymore. I’m over it.”
Matters were made worse for the Senator when he was grilled about his comments during the Feb. 25 Democratic debate in South Carolina. Sanders defended his comments regarding Castro’s literacy program, which was met with boos from the audience. Pete Buttigieg, another front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, responded to Sanders’ comments during the debate by saying, “we are not going to win these critical, critical House and Senate races if people in those races have to explain why the nominee of the Democratic Party is telling people to look at the bright side of the Castro regime.”
Miami’s population is comprised of 70% Hispanics, with over half the city’s population being Cuban. 700,000 of these are Cuban immigrants who fled Castro’s communist regime in exile, landing in Miami at the historical Freedom Tower. The state of Florida also has the highest population of Cubans in all of America with 1.53 million reported in 2017. These population statistics prove to be problematic for the Sanders campaign as many in the state have vowed to vote against him if he were to receive the Presidential nomination.
At the forefront of Miami’s unity against communism and pro-communist beliefs is mayor Suarez. During a press conference held the day after Sanders’ 60 Minutes interview, Suarez said, “What Senator Sanders conveniently omitted from his colorful characterization of communist Cuba was Castro’s forceful and violent imposition of power, attacking human rights and freedom of speech, thereby minimizing the sacrifice of those who fought to break free from his suffocating hand. Each and every life that has fled communism has proven how the will to pursue democracy and freedom, even in the face of oppression, can never be suppressed or silenced.”
The concert will be held on April 11 and is being partially organized by Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat who is the co-founder of the Cuban Democratic Directorate, a non-governmental organization that aids Cuban political prisoners. The line-up will include Cuban artists who are not permitted to perform in Cuba and will act as a unified front against communism and its spread in the modern United States government.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
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