Man with Cuban Revolution hallucinations threatens Sen. Marco Rubio, police say

In this Aug. 21, 2019, file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a Forum Club meeting, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File) (Brynn Anderson, Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HIALEAH, Fla. – Detectives found out that a man who had allegedly been threatening Sen. Marco Rubio, Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez, and Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez was in dire need of mental health services.

According to Officer Michael Vega, a spokesman for the Miami Police Department, the threats were alarming enough to merit an extensive investigation.

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Detectives identified the suspect, and when officers responded to his home in Hialeah, he was exhibiting paranoia and hallucinations, according to Adriana Quintana, a spokeswoman for the Hialeah Police Department.

The man “advised of soldiers from Fidel Castro’s Revolt [who] were after him, and spoke of hallucinations of the Cuban Revolution,” Quintana said.

Officers decided to detain the man on Friday, so he could get the help he needs. He had been detained for a mental health evaluation before because he has a history of threatening politicians, Quintana said.

A Miami resident who knows the man and was concerned contacted the Miami Police Department, Vega said. Miami detectives shared the information with the Hialeah Police Department, Quintana said.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about people who are threatening Miami-Dade County’s politicians as the Nov. 3 election approaches to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.