Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
Authoritarianism is growing at our doorstep. Here’s how we counter it
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
March 30, 2023
Americano Media
Following historic protests in Cuba during July 2021, the Díaz-Canel regime has imprisoned dozens of people every month, including children, simply for speaking out against communist oppression…. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro and his thugs continue to undermine the social order, suffocating civil society and destroying Venezuela’s economy in the process…. Finally, there is no shortage of proof that the CCP is expanding its power in Latin America and the Caribbean….
These trends…reflect weakness on the part of the Biden Administration…. Instead of reacting forcefully to the growing authoritarianism at our doorstep, this White House has sought to lift sanctions on criminal actors and regimes under the guise of “engagement.” Moreover, instead of using America’s foreign policy tools to provide our neighbors with attractive alternatives to Beijing’s overtures, President Biden has exported wokeness and absurd climate goals….
To counter this, I have reintroduced legislation to punish dictators and enhance U.S. engagement in Latin America. Three of my bills…would prevent executive appeasement of the Cuban regime and require the White House to offer more support to the Cuban people’s quest for freedom. Meanwhile, my U.S. Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act would crack down on the illegal gold markets that keep Maduro and criminal groups afloat. I have also introduced bipartisan legislation to codify and improve intergovernmental security cooperation in the Caribbean, and I have reintroduced a bicameral bill to extend trade benefits for apparel products made in Haiti from 2025 to 2035….
No one law will ever solve our hemisphere’s problems, but these are the kinds of bills we must pass to advance our interests, and those of our allies and partners…. I will keep working in Washington to uphold stability and security, defend human rights, and push for greater economic prosperity in our region.
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