MIAMI — Osvaldo Hernandez shed some tears on Friday at Versailles in Miami’s Little Havana. Change in his native Cuba is all he could talk about.
Hernandez, a Versailles regular, said he trusts that President Donald Trump will prompt the change that Cuban Americans have hoped for.
Hernandez said State Secretary Marco Rubio, whose parents were born in Cuba, was the best man to lead the ongoing talks.
“¡Plomo!” Hernandez said in Spanish, “Lead! That’s it,” Hernandez said about his hope that the U.S. Navy Seals will oust the communist regime.
Yohanis Delabat said Cuban Americans have been waiting 67 years and it’s time to get rid of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and “all these little goons that are left on the island.” Rick Amaro agrees.
“They have been oppressing the Cuban people for too long,” Amaro said.
In a national address on Friday, Díaz-Canel said U.S.-Cuba talks “were aimed at finding solutions” amid an energy crisis.
After halting oil shipments from Venezuela, Trump announced on Jan. 11 that U.S.-Cuba talks were ongoing.
Trump later said a “friendly takeover” was a possibility, and Rubio was leading the negotiations.
Díaz-Canel said two power plants on the island closed, and power outages are affecting transportation, health services, and education.
On Thursday, Cuban officials announced the release of 51 prisoners, but did not identify them. Díaz-Canel said they had demonstrated good behavior.
“It is a sovereign practice, no one imposes it on us,” Díaz-Canel said.
Also, Díaz-Canel said Cuban law enforcement will allow the FBI on the island to investigate the fatal shooting at sea that involved a Florida-registered boat.
In Miami’s Little Havana, Amaro said Trump and Rubio are also busy with the conflict with Iran, but once it ends, he expects action on Cuba.
“They will turn the guns over to Cuba, and they will resolve that problem,” Amaro said.
More on U.S.-Cuba relations
- Cuba will release 51 people from prison in an unexpected move
- Democratic senators file war powers resolution to check Trump on Cuba
- Cuban president says talks were recently held with the US to resolve differences
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