The Miami Herald bends over, once again, to the bomb throwers in Miami
I will never understand the Miami Herald editorial board.
I read their May 7 editorial: Biden administration has just propped up Cuba’s failing dictatorship. Thanks, Mr. President. It states that “in a single move, President Biden just gave Cuba’s aging, creaky regime new oxygen to continue to exist, living on to oppress those who oppose it on the island.”
First and foremost, do they understand the reasons given by the U.S. government for their actions? We have them printed. And it states: “The Cuban people face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and our policy will continue to focus on empowering the Cuban people to help them create a future free from repression and economic suffering.” [The underscore is ours.]
I suppose that as so many here in Miami, the Herald wants the Cuban people, the 11 million living on the Island, many without enough food, or medicine, or electricity, or running water… shall I go on? The Herald wants these folks, most completely innocent of anything that strains the Cuba-U.S. relationship, to pay the ultimate price, to sacrifice to the point of dying, so as to satisfy the fat and cowardly group of Miami Cubans who once fled Cuba in hopes that the U.S. military would solve a problem created by themselves, and now expect these Cubans practically living on fumes, to turn the country back over to them. I guess so that they can establish the kleptocracy they call a democracy instituted here in Miami over the past more than half century.
Another interesting point mentioned in the editorial struck me as arrogant. They state that the Biden administration came “without counsel from South Florida’s Cuban-exile community or its congressional delegation.” Actually, if the Herald had been listening (which I’m sure they were but their historically cowardly stance on anything Cuba does not allow them to admit this) the Biden administration was just following through on promises made during the 2020 campaign where the now president promised to return Cuba policy to the rapprochement efforts begun under President Obama, which, by the way, Biden has still fallen short on.
As for listening to the community?
Note to Miami Herald: There’s more than one side to the Miami Cuban community which they, in a typical wishy washy way, state in the editorial. Many of us had been clamoring for months, waiting for Biden to keep his promise. But I guess you (the Miami Herald) does not consider our wishes when it comes to Cuba. It’s only the crazy right-wingers; yes sir, those same people who in the past have not thought twice about blowing up radio hosts, shooting down and killing a young man with children simply because he has legitimate business dealings with the Cuban government, putting bombs in businesses and concerts… those are the people the Miami Herald favors in their editorial.
One other thing: The Miami Herald criticizes Biden for not even bothering “to come to South Florida for the big announcement.” In other words, the Miami Herald wants Biden to channel and become more like Trump (Remember him? The same bloated, combed-over-haired president who sparked the Jan. 6 coup attempt in 2021), who visited Miami every time he had something to say about Cuba — and all for electoral reasons. Trump has no respect for real democracy and could give two hoots about Cuba; well, except to build casinos and hotels there like he tried back around 2010, which, by the way, we disclosed only to have the Herald and Nora Gamez claim as their scoop.
Typically Herald like, the editorial, towards the end, does admit that they “can’t argue with the humanitarian elements of this policy change to help Cubans who have struggled with harsh economic times following the pandemic…” Like I said, typical. They want to appease both sides, while favoring the bomb throwers and Trumpers among us.
The editorial continues claiming that “Obama went down the same rosy path and, ultimately, found the Cuban government as unyielding as ever. Many historic Cuban exiles rejected Obama’s olive branch to Raul Castro. They warned it would be a one-way street. They were right.”
The Cuban government may have been unyielding, we can argue about that, but as for results: The Obama decision was the wisest by a U.S. administration in the more than 60 year standoff between the two sides. And if the Herald had taken the time to listen to objective journalists on the reaction to the Obama opening in Cuba they would have learned that the Cuban people (not necessarily the government) was joyous and hopeful for the first time in years. They could see the possibility of a better future for all involved. That feeling of hope I speak of could be found in the streets, the conversations, the plans, etc. throughout the island.
The editorial finishes by quoting Marco Rubio. I won’t. First and foremost, Rubio is not Cuban. He is the son of Cubans, but he does not know what it means to be Cuban. He’s a demagogue, a liar, a cheat, and a coward, but Cuban? He’s never set foot on the Island.
I would have turned the Miami Herald editorial around and written that in a single move, President Biden just gave the Cuban people new oxygen to continue to exist…
This last statement alone would have been a more honest assessment of the latest Biden move on Cuba. It is a humanitarian step to help those who most need it on the island of Cuba.
Thank you, President Biden. Now we await the rest.
