Cuban Americans Won Florida for Trump

Miguel Saavedra, leader of Vigilia Mambisa an anti-communist organization, and a group of Cuban Americans showed their support for Donald Trump in front of the popular Versailles Restaurant in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami.

The shameful Cuban policy of Barack Obama and its support by Hillary Clinton helped deliver Florida to Donald J. Trump

Mary Anastasia O’Grady wrote an article titled “Will Obama’s Cuba Policy Lose Florida for Clinton?” which was published in the Wall Street Journal on November 8, 2016 before the election results came in. The answer is yes it absolutely did. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton did not understand the real sentiment of Cuban American voters in Florida and other states in the nation. They relied on false polls saying that majority of Cuban Americans hated the embargo and wanted to restore diplomatic relations with the oppressive regime in Havana. Both of them forgot that Cuban Americans from both political parties have been elected and reelected to the Senate and the House of Representatives because they opposed Obama’s unilateral concessions to the Cuban bloody regime with nothing in return as well as diplomatic recognition.

Americans of Cuban descent from the Miami Tea Party rally in one of Miami’s heavy traveled avenues.

The one politician, who supported the Cuban policy of Obama and Hillary Clinton, Joe Garcia, was defeated badly by Republican Carlos Curbelo even though the congressional district was 58% Democrat and Hillary won in Miami-Dade County. O’Grady pointed out that Congressman Carlos Curbelo defeated a prominent Obama policy cheerleader, Joe Garcia, by an 11-point margin. Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart also won re-election. Senator Marco Rubio easily defeated Patrick Murphy, who campaigned supporting Obama’s Cuba policy. No candidate has ever won statewide in Florida while running on an anti-embargo platform. Moreover, Congress’ biggest opponents of Obama’s Cuba policy have all won handily.

Democratic candidates should stop taking advice from a handful of very wealthy businessmen who are clueless as regards the real pulse of the Cuban-American community. These very rich individuals and their globalist friends want to make Cuba the China of the Caribbean to enrich the U.S. multinationals that do not care about human and civil rights in Cuba.

O’Grady concluded her article by stating, “No matter who wins on Tuesday, the next president will have to clean up this Cuba mess. Decent Cuban-Americans on both sides of the aisle want answers.” Hopefully, Trump would do just that as he said in various rallies.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Marco Rubio, Carlos Curbelo, and Mario Diaz-Balart were reelected in Florida and they all opposed the shameful Cuba policy of Obama and Clinton.

On November 3, 2016, Andres Oppenheimer wrote an opinion column titled “Trump could win Florida thanks to Cuban Americans” which was published in the Miami Herald. He said that if Donald Trump would win Florida, as some polls predicted, and would go on to win the presidential election, he might have President Barack Obama to thank for lending him a hand in the final stretch of the race. Oppenheimer explained that Obama’s October 14, 2016 decision to continue to relax the U.S. embargo on Cuba by permitting American tourists to bring back unlimited quantities of Cuban rum and cigars, as well as his October 26 decision to abstain for the first time in a United Nations vote against the U.S. embargo on Cuba, probably pushed many undecided Cuban Americans in Florida to vote for Trump.

The New York Times Upshot/Siena University poll of October 27 gave Trump a four-point lead in Florida. The survey indicated that “Cubans return to Trump and said that Trump’s surprising comeback in Florida might be thanks to Cuban-American voters.” Obama’s most recent decisions on Cuba most likely hurt Hillary Clinton in Florida.

Actually, it is not only Obama’s recent decisions on Cuba but his series of outrageous, illegal and unilateral concessions which have almost destroyed the commercial embargo against Cuba. These concessions made by Obama were in violation of the Helms Burton Law. Hillary Clinton said several months ago at a rally held at Florida International University that, if elected president, she was going to end completely the embargo with an (illegal) executive order. These actions made patriotic Cuban Americans angry and that is why most of them voted for Donald J. Trump.

The vast majority of Cuban Americans in Florida and other states have opposed the series of unilateral concessions that Obama has given the bloody regime in Havana with no “Quid Pro Quo” or nothing in return, except for more oppression against the suffering Cuban people of the island. The reporter wrote that according to a new report from the Cuban Commission of Human Rights and National Reconciliation, a total of 9,215 people were arrested during the first 10 months of this year for political reasons, already more than the 8,616 arrested during the 12 months of 2015.

Oppenheimer, who wrote a series of columns severely criticizing Mr. Trump, was correct in pointing out how the policy on Cuba by Obama and its support by Clinton hurt the Democratic Party nominee. This writer, a veteran of the Bay of Pigs invasion, was asked by the Trump campaign at its headquarters in Trump Tower to do a short video on what Mr. Trump should do if elected president regarding the Cuban bloody regime. The short video of about nine minutes was sent to New York along with two even shorter videos done by Bay of Pigs veteran Eli César and Army veteran Jorge Rodriguez. Juan Fiol filmed the videos and sent them to New York.

Shortly after the videos were sent, Mr. Trump spoke in Texas. On August 6, 2016, Donald J. Trump said that if elected president he was going to impose severe economic sanctions on the Cuban regime unless the Castro brothers would conduct a democratic election in the island. Similar statements were said by the Republican candidate at the James Knight Center in Miami and other places.

Donald Trump spoke at the Museum and Library of the Bay of Pigs Veteran Association Brigade 2506 in Miami.

Donald J. Trump spoke on his desire for a free democratic Cuba at the Museum and Library of the Bay of Pigs Veteran Association Brigade 2506 in Miami.

On October 25, 2016, Donald J. Trump met with a group of veterans of the Bay of Pigs who invaded Cuba in 1961 soon after their Association endorsed him for president. It was the first time that the Brigade 2506 had endorsed a candidate for president in 55 years. Mr. Trump thanked the veterans for their endorsement and praised them for their fight over many years for the freedom of Cuba calling them heroes. He said the Assault Brigade 2506 members were “true fighters for freedom and were committed in defense of human rights and justice.” Mr. Trump also praised the Ladies in White who are frequently beaten and arrested in Cuba each time they walk to churches in Cuba. The Republican nominee denounced Hillary Clinton as well as President Obama for shutting their eyes to the human rights violations in Cuba. He said that Obama has done a terrible deal with Cuba and if Hillary Clinton were to be elected she would do one even worst.

This writer had the great honor of being selected to present Donald J. Trump with the Brigade coat of arms together with Brigade President Humberto Díaz-Argüelles and Brigade member Vicente Blanco.

Trump Held a Rally at the Bayfront Park in Miami

On November 2, 2016, Donald J. Trump held a rally at Bayfront Park in Miami attended by approximately 3,000 people before heading off to campaign events at Orlando and Pensacola. Former Hialeah Mayor and Chairman of the Trump campaign in Miami-Dade County Julio Martinez served as Master of Ceremony. He introduced a pastor for a prayer and then this writer, who had been invited by the Trump campaign to say a few words and do the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Donald J. Trump spoke at the Bayfront Park in Miami.

This writer, an advisor and a member of the International Assembly of the Cuban Patriotic Council, appears with Ivan Sanchez, Vice President, and Antonio D. Esquivel, President, of the Cuban Patriotic Council, at the Trump rally in Miami.

Many West Dade Office volunteers attended the rally. Members of the Brigade 2506 and Cuban Americans from several anti-communist organizations also came to hear and support Donald Trump.

Remarks by Frank de Varona at the Trump Rally at Bayfront Park

“I am a veteran of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. I also serve as Office Manager to the Donald J. Trump for President Campaign Republican National Committee Office in West Dade.

Since we lost our birthplace to a Marxist totalitarian regimen, the Cuban exile community in every election has looked for the most conservative candidate available with the best chance of winning. In this election, Donald Trump represents that candidate. The country cannot continue to go in the direction that it was been going for the last eight years.

The Democratic Party has injured, at every opportunity, the cause of Cuba’s freedom and the return to self-government. We remember the Mariel exodus that took place under the Carter administration, a Democrat. Elián González, the son of a Cuban immigrant who drowned bringing her son to freedom, was returned to Castro’s Cuba under a Clinton White House.

And now, Obama legitimizes the totalitarian government in Cuba to the eyes of the world and provides economic assistance, investment, and tourism in exchange for nothing. President Obama is working to undermine or eliminate the embargo.

For these reasons, the Cuban exile community feels naturally betrayed by the Democratic Party. It is a no-brainer that Mr. Trump is far more conservative than Mrs. Clinton.

Since we have arrived in the United States, in the last 20 years especially, the Democratic Party has been inimical to our values and to the cause of Cuban freedom. We still dream of achieving freedom and self-determination in a free Cuba.”

This writer asked those in the audience, who are members of the Brigade 2506 and veterans of the Bay of Pigs Invasion as well as members the Cuban resistance organizations, to please rise and be recognized. Lastly, he gave the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

Donald J. Trump’s speech at the rally

Miami-Dade and Broward counties Trump supporters began lining up at sunrise at the entrance of Bayfront Park in Miami as voters were anxious to see the Republican Party nominee. Donald J. Trump entered the stage just after noon and stated the following: “Thank you women for Trump, Hispanics for Trump, Cubans for Trump, and Blacks for Trump. With your votes we can beat the system. The rigged system. So show up early and vote. The polls are saying we are going to win Florida. Don’t believe it! Get out there and vote. Pretend we’re slightly behind. We don’t want to blow this!” He said that the nation is down to just six days before the general election day and he urged all Republicans to go out and vote, if they have not already voted.

Participants of the Trump rally in Miami.

“We are asking for the vote of every American who believes in truth and justice, not money and power,” said the Republican nominee. Trump said he was proud to receive the endorsement of the Bay of Pigs Brigade 2506 Veteran Association. He said, “I see all these signs Cubans for Trump. Love Cubans,” Trump said.

Obama’s diplomatic recognition and unilateral concessions to Cuba resulted in Hillary Clinton loss of Florida

Mike Gonzalez, who is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, wrote an article titled “Obama’s Legacy Drive Lost Florida for Clinton” which was published in the New York Post on November 12, 2016. Gonzalez wrote the following: “The evidence is mounting that President Obama’s overzealous defense of his opening Cuba gambit cost Hillary Clinton the state of Florida. That misstep could end up wiping out most of the president’s carefully curated legacy achievements…Obama lifted limits on the import of cigars and rum, and then ordered our ambassador to the United Nations to abstain from a vote condemning the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba. That U.N. directive was especially galling. President Obama was, in fact, venting his frustration with Congress for not lifting the embargo upon his command — which Congress has the right to refuse to do — by letting the world body mock U.S. law unopposed.”

The Cuban-American community in Miami and throughout the entire state was furious and decided to support Donald Trump, who promised that he would end relations unless Raúl Castro began democratic reforms. A New York Times-Siena poll, headlined “Cubans Come Home to Trump,” confirmed that all this was enough to add almost 20 percentage points to Trump’s support among Cuban-Americans.

An analyses of Cuban-American precincts puts the support for Trump at 60% or higher. Hillary Clinton ended up losing the election to Trump by the razor-thin margin of 125,000 votes out of more than 9 million cast, in a state where Cuban-Americans number more than a million. Florida with its 29 votes was decisive in winning the White House for Mr. Trump.

Cuban Americans from the patriotic organization Bear Witness Central traveled to Washington D.C. to conduct a protest, named Operation FBI Whistle Blowers

Rolando Perez, President and Founder of Bear Witness Central a patriot organization that has several websites, wrote an article titled “Operation FBI Whistle Blowers” which was published on bwcentral.org website on November 12, 2016. He explained the following: “A group of courageous activists from the Bear Witness Central organization traveled to Washington D.C. to conduct a tactical protest, named “Operation FBI Whistle Blowers”, that would exhort FBI agents to protest internally, to speak out to the public about Hillary Clinton’s breach of rules for handling of classified materials and to send more critical information to WikiLeaks in order to prevent Hillary Clinton from getting the Presidency. Three days after the operation was conducted, on October 24, 2016, spearheaded by members of Bear Witness Central and with assistance from members of Alexandria Tea Party and local patriots, FBI agents from Washington D.C. and New York City spoke to FBI Director Comey in regards to e-mails found in Weiner’s computer.”

Rolando Perez explained that the tactical operation took place at the two entrances to the FBI building in Washington D.C. The Cuban American activists were at both main entrance and side entrances to the building.  At the side entrance the Bear Witness patriots were able to reach a multitude of FBI agents entering and leaving the FBI building for lunch. Loud speakers and signs were used to get the message out to the FBI agents. Several times police officers and security agents approached the activists to move them away from the side entrance where the FBI agents left or entered the building walking or in vehicles.

Dr. Garcia, a patriot and director from Bear Witness Central is using a loud speaker and another patriot from the Alexandria Tea Party is holding a sign in front of the side entrance to the FBI building in Washington DC.

FBI Director James B. Comey

Rolando Perez stated the following: “FBI agents were aware of new Clinton-related emails weeks before director Comey. During the protest rally that Monday, the patriots asked the FBI agents to remove Hillary’s security clearance since she broke laws that protect the national security of the U.S., making her unqualified to be the Commander in Chief.  FBI Director James B. Comey was pressed to act on the new information.  After he was informed on the new development that Thursday he decided to send a letter to legislators on Friday indicating that appropriate investigative steps would be taken into Hillary’s e-mails case. As Matt Vespa of Townhall mentioned, it is unclear why FBI investigators did not tell Director Comey sooner after New York FBI agents seized a computer related to their investigation of former congressman Anthony Weiner. Members of Bear Witness Central were elated that their message to the FBI agents during the protest rally might have triggered FBI agents to act on the information just three days after the rally.”

Activists from Bear Witness Central are holding signs in front of the FBI building in Washington D.C. during “Operation FBI Whistle Blower”

Rolando Perez said the following: “The protesters included several Americans of Cuban descent. specially one who served two terms in the U.S. military in Viet Nam and another who survived 22 years in Cuba’s inhumane jails as a political prisoner. They carefully followed the guidance provided by the FBI as to the rules for protesting there, while, ironically Mrs. Clinton’s breaking of rules and laws were not pursued by FBI Director James Comey. Former United States Attorney General Michael Mukasey told MSNBC that not only is Hillary Clinton’s private email server illegal, it “disqualifies” her from holding any federal office. Very specifically points to one federal law, Title 18. Section 2071. Yes, it explicitly states “shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.”

Mr. Perez concluded his article by stating the following: “FBI Director James Comey did not give details except to convey that, in connection with an unrelated case, new evidence had been uncovered. The FBI Director said his agency would review these new emails to determine whether they contain classified information. A few days later Comey in another unprecedented circumstance, he declared that there was no change on the case although reportedly there were several classified e-mails in the new finding. This was a stunning development. It did enormous damage to Clinton’s chances of winning the office she has long coveted. Of course this tactical operation was not even acknowledged in the media, but we have given thanks to these patriotic members of Bear Witness Central and Alexandria Tea Party that were in the right place at the right time for their effort that help prevent Hillary from achieving the Presidency and destroying what was left of America.”

The National Republican Party West Dade Trump Victory Office

This writer and John Pugh, Deputy State Political Director and South Florida Strategist of the Trump campaign in Florida, at the rally of Governor Mike Pence in Miami. This writer was appointed Office Manager of the West Dade Trump Victory Office by John Pugh who was in charge of several counties in South East Florida. This office was one of 29 offices in Florida and one of four in Miami-Dade County.

This writer recruited over 100 volunteers who knocked several thousand doors, made several thousand phone calls, and covered over 30 Early Voting precincts and Election Day precincts waiving Trump signs and passing flyers. Other volunteers filled out voter registration forms and absentee ballot request forms standing in front of Sedano and Publix Supermarkets and pharmacies and seeking citizens who had not registered to vote. Over 7,000 were registered to vote by three offices. Many sign waiving events were held all over Miami-Dade where bumper stickers and yard signs were giving to Trump supporters. The West Dade Office passed many wall and yard signs and bumper stickers to many individuals who came to the office.

This writer and a group of volunteers at the West Dade Office

Juan Fiol and West Dade Office volunteers are participating in a sign waiving event in front of Versailles Restaurant in Miami. Donald Trump and Mike Pence visited this iconic place.

These offices in Miami-Dade County were assisted by Cuban Americans Jaime Fiol and Alex Garcia who are full-time employees of the Florida Republican Party. These individuals worked extremely hard. One of our volunteers, Cuban American Juan Fiol, was frequently interviewed in radio and television as were Cuban Americans lawyer Lorenzo Palomares and former Hialeah Mayor Julio Martinez, who served as Chairman of the Miami-Dade Trump campaign. Jaime Fiol organized four events at Las Vegas Restaurant, one for each presidential debate and a very happy one on Election Day. He also coordinated the volunteers covering the precincts. These events were attended by over 250 people and were covered by several television channels.

This writer appears with his daughter Irene de Varona, grandson Danny Linares de Varona, and West Dade Office volunteers George Garces, Ana Maria Lamar, and Lucy de Varona.

West Dade Office volunteer Barbara Grant and others at one of our events at Las Vegas Restaurant.

This writer and his wife Haydée are celebrating Donald J. Trump’s victory with about 300 West Dade Office volunteers and volunteers from other offices at Las Vegas Restaurant in Miami on Election Day.

Conclusion

Cuban Americans in Florida and Cuban American volunteers in the Trump campaign were crucial in helping Donald J. Trump win the White House. Florida with its 29 electoral votes were decisive in winning the White House for Donald J. Trump.

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