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Senators Decry Normalizing Cuban Relations

The Florida Senate easily passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday against normalizing Cuban relations.
Franck Vervial via Flickr
The Florida Senate easily passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday against normalizing Cuban relations.
The Florida Senate easily passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday against normalizing Cuban relations.
Credit Franck Vervial via Flickr
The Florida Senate easily passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday against normalizing Cuban relations.

Florida lawmakers of Cuban descent spoke out Tuesday on the Senate floor against normalizing relations with the island nation. 

Sen. Miguel Diaz De La Portilla (R-Miami) tore into the Castro regime, referring to Fidel and Raoul as “mafia dons” and “octogenarian despots.”  His colleague, Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah) says the executive action doesn’t do enough for regular Cubans.

Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah) arguing in favor of the resolution.
Credit The Florida Channel
Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah) arguing in favor of the resolution.

“When the President came out with this order, things would change on the island?  I would say I congratulate the President.  I congratulate the President making something happen,” Garcia says.  “But nothing—those Cubans woke up the same way they did yesterday.”

De La Portilla and Garcia jumped on as co-sponsors of the non-binding Senate resolution.  Sen. Anitere Flores (R-Miami) is the bill’s principal sponsor.  It passed the chamber on a voice vote with one objection.

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Nick Evans came to Tallahassee to pursue a masters in communications at Florida State University. He graduated in 2014, but not before picking up an internship at WFSU. While he worked on his degree Nick moved from intern, to part-timer, to full-time reporter. Before moving to Tallahassee, Nick lived in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years. He listens to far too many podcasts and is a die-hard 49ers football fan. When Nick’s not at work he likes to cook, play music and read.
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