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Mitch PerryNovember 29, 2016

The first regularly scheduled flight in more than 50 years flew from Miami to Havana yesterday morning, just in time to begin the formal mourning for Fidel Castro, which leads to the question du jour — What will Donald Trump do with the Cuba-U.S. relations? The President-elect tweeted that “If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 28, 2016

On MSNBC Monday morning, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was asked whether she preferred the statement on the death of Fidel Castro by President Barack Obama or President-elect Donald Trump. In a reflection of the non-negotiable political realities of South Florida, the former DNC Chairwoman forged her own path. “I prefer my own statement. The one that I put out […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 27, 2016

Sen. Marco Rubio made the rounds of Sunday morning shows this week, discussing Fidel Castro and the way forward for U.S./Cuba relations. Rubio, a frequent and fierce critic of the current president’s accommodation toward the Cuban government, has voiced an interest in applying more pressure on Havana in the Trump era. His comments Sunday were consistent with […]

Associated PressNovember 27, 2016

Music fell silent, weddings were canceled and people wept in the streets Saturday as Cubans faced their first day without the leader who steered their island to both greater social equality and years of economic ruin. Across a hushed capital, dozens of Cubans said they felt genuine pain at the death of Fidel Castro, whose […]

Mitch PerryNovember 26, 2016

There was no harsher a critic of the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba than Ralph Fernandez. Yet the Tampa attorney who represented several former political prisoners in Cuba over the past several decades says that nobody ever challenged the U.S. government as the longtime Cuban leader, who died Friday at the age of 90. “The guy stood up to […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterNovember 26, 2016

The death of Fidel Castro reverberated throughout South Florida this weekend, and one expert said it could lead Cuban Americans to reevaluate their positions on the island. Guillermo Grenier, one of the lead researchers in charge of the FIU Cuba Poll, said the coming weeks and months “will be a time for reevaluation.” Some Cuban […]

Staff ReportsNovember 26, 2016

South Florida cities are erupting in celebration of the death of former longtime Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Sergio Bustos of POLITICO Florida reports that throughout Miami, a city of Cuban immigrants, can be heard shouts of: “Libertad! Libertad! Libertad!” Cubans of all ages took to the streets in Miami Friday evening throughout Saturday morning party […]

Associated PressNovember 26, 2016

Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule of Cuba, has died at age 90. With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended […]

Mitch PerryJuly 26, 2016

Despite the diplomatic breakthrough with Cuba announced by President Obama in December 2014, the idea of removing the more than 50-year-old economic embargo against the communist island doesn’t appear to be any closer to fading away. The Republican-led Congress would have to repeal both the 1996 Helms-Burton Act and the Trading With The Enemy Act […]

Mitch PerryJune 7, 2016

Carlos Beruff takes a tough line on President Barack Obama’s rapprochement with the Cuban government, but just a few years ago appeared to be a strong advocate that just such a diplomatic breakthrough was desperately needed. On the day the two nations announced they were resuming relations, the Bradenton Herald reported the Manatee County home developer and now Republican U.S. […]

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Mitch Perry Report for 11.29.16 — Will President Trump ‘terminate’ Obama deal with Cuba?

Separation continues between Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Barack Obama on Cuba policy

Marco Rubio talks Cuba policy and American national interest

Weeping, hopeful, Cubans look to future without Fidel Castro

In Tampa, agreement that Fidel Castro was one of a kind

Fidel Castro’s death offers opportunity to reevaluate U.S.-Cuba relations

Cubans in Miami, Hialeah take to streets in celebration of Fidel Castro’s death

Cuba’s Fidel Castro, who defied U.S. for 50 years, dies at 90

California Democrat wants to work with Kathy Castor on ending sanctions against Cuba

Carlos Beruff visited Cuba with group dedicated to ending sanctions in 2011