Congressmen Carlos Giménez and Mario Díaz-Balart, together with the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, demanded this Thursday from the Trump administration the total suspension of flights and the sending of remittances to the Island, because these economic flows prolong the permanence of the dictatorship in power.
MADRID, Spain.- Republican congressmen Carlos Giménez and Mario Díaz-Balart announced this Thursday, during a press conference in Miami, an initiative that they described as historic and that aims directly at the economic support of the Cuban regime: requesting the United States Government to end flights and remittances to the island.
The pronouncement took place at the headquarters of the Cuban Democratic Directorate and was organized by the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC)headed by its coordinator Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat. The activist introduced the legislators and addressed a message to the Cuban people, in which he stated that the announced actions are aimed at supporting their fight for freedom.
In his speech, Carlos Giménez maintained that the income that the Cuban State receives through travel and remittances contributes to prolonging the dictatorship’s stay in power. In that sense, he urged the US Administration to suspend commercial flights to and from the Island and to cut off the sending of money from abroad because these financial flows support the structure of the regime. “All the money that the Cuban dictatorship receives the only thing it does is extend the period for the dictatorship to fall,” he said.
Giménez compared the Cuban political system to a serious illness like cancer and stated that, although the measures necessary to cause change may be painful, they are essential to achieve the country’s recovery. “Sometimes the cure is painful, but in the end the patient is cured. The patient is Cuba,” said the congressman.
He also warned that a democratic transition process in Cuba will be difficult, but stressed that it is a path that must be followed to put an end to the current model of power.
Likewise, he asked the Mexican Government to stop the shipment of oil to Cuba; oil that “the regime sells and goes into the pockets of the dictatorship while the people go hungry.”
“We are going to do everything necessary so that the freedom of the Cuban people returns”
For his part, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart stated that “the only alternative for the Havana regime is for democracy to return, there is no possibility of fraudulent negotiations,” ruling out any dialogue scenario that does not imply real political change on the Island.
Díaz-Balart also assured that the Cuban Government is going through one of its most fragile moments. “The regime has never been so weak, and our attitude is that we are going to do everything necessary for the freedom of the Cuban people to return. We just need to push a little,” he said.
Díaz-Balart also announced that in a 2026 law, which has already been approved in the House and must be approved in the Senate, the requirement is to deny visas to members of the government of countries that receive Cuban doctors sent by the regime as slaves. Aid to these countries will also be withdrawn.
The legislator announced that Washington has more instruments to increase pressure on Havana. “There are other pressure measures that the United States can take and will take,” he said, while emphasizing that the objective of these actions is not to punish the population, but to provoke structural change.
“Everything that is being done is so that the Cuban people can live with dignity,” Díaz-Balart concluded.
“We must take away all the oxygen from the dictatorship”
For his part, Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat, pointing out the importance of what was announced, declared: “We must end the regime, we must take away all the oxygen from the dictatorship, it is the only way the people will breathe.”
Juan Carlos Bermúdez, commissioner of Miami-Dade, also intervened during the meeting. During his statement he said that “it is important that we all know that this is the moment in which we have been closest to the freedom of Cuba. He remembered the people who have given their lives for Cuba, such as those who died in the downing of the planes of the Brothers to the Rescue.
On the other hand, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natalie Orbis assured that all pending licenses to trade with Cuba will be suspended.
With the same intention, Commissioner Miguel Ángel Gabela said that the Miami commission is doing everything possible to block business with Cuba.
Also present at the press conference were numerous representatives of Cuban exile organizations, such as brigade 2506, local officials and community activists.
