Some of the condolences surrounding Fidel Castro’s death have been cordial, but others have been direct in their criticism of him. Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio penned messages condemning Castro’s time as Cuban president. Both Cruz and Rubio have personal connections to the country as some of their family members were born there.
First off, Cruz penned a Facebook message admonishing Castro’s tenure as Cuban president, saying his death won’t bring back the thousands of victims that suffered under his regime. The former Republican presidential candidate’s father was born in Cuba, so his comments are particularly biting:
While Cruz was direct in his criticisms, Rubio appeared a bit more fired up. The Florida senator’s parents had emigrated from Cuba in 1956 and he didn’t mince words about Castro’s legacy:
“Sadly, Fidel Castro’s death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. History will not absolve Fidel Castro. It will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people.”
And he didn’t stop there, unleashing a tweet storm condemning President Obama’s lack of criticism about Castro:
President Obama issued a pathetic statement on death of dictator #FidelCastro with no mention of thousands he killed & imprisoned. #Cuba
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016
Today let's remember how #FidelCastro used MIG-29 combat pilots to kill unarmed civilians #Brotherstotherescue back in 1996. #cuba
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016
Rubio continued his verbal assault calling into Fox News to say President Obama should not send a representative to his funeral:
.@marcorubio: “I would hope that [the Obama Admin.] would send no one to the funeral.” #FidelCastro #Cuba pic.twitter.com/JoSxraBH2g
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 26, 2016
Rubio and Cruz’s responses come on the heels of relations between the U.S. and Cuba being mended, but that may change when January rolls around. President-elect Donald Trump said he would repeal these restrictions when he heads into office and judging by his statement on Castro’s death that may very well end up coming true.
(Via Ted Cruz’s Facebook, New York Daily News & Marco Rubio’s Twitter)