Cuban-Born Rep Pushes Trump Administration to ‘Starve’ Havana Regime

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Carlos Gimenez, the sole Cuban-born member of Congress, is urging the Trump administration to tighten the screws on Havana’s communist regime by cutting off its remaining financial lifelines from the U.S. Gimenez, a Republican from Florida, recently visited Cuba for the first time in 64 years as part of a delegation to Guantanamo Bay. His conclusion? Despite decades of embargoes and travel restrictions, Americans are still inadvertently supporting the regime.

Gimenez plans to write to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, recommending the cessation of all travel between the U.S. and Cuba and a ban on remittances sent to family or friends on the island—except for funds specifically approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He argues that dictator Miguel Diaz-Canel’s government takes a hefty cut of remittance money, indirectly propping up a regime infamous for its oppression and inefficiency.

"The regime in Cuba is a listed state sponsor of terrorism, harbors criminal fugitives of American justice, and poses a clear threat to U.S. safety," Gimenez is expected to write. He also praised former President Trump for reversing Obama-era policies that he called "disastrous appeasement." And let’s not forget that awkward photo of Raul Castro holding up Obama’s arm with an insincere grin—history’s equivalent of a bad Instagram pose.

While Gimenez acknowledged the administration's recent measures to ban Cuban vessels at U.S. ports, he insists that more decisive action is needed. "The murderous dictatorship in Cuba is on life support," Gimenez said. "They can’t even keep the lights on. America must stand with the Cuban people to topple this pathetic gang once and for all. The time is now." Strong words, but that’s the kind of passion Cuban-Americans have long carried in their fight for freedom.

In Miami, flights to Cuba are common, and many passengers bring goods and products to the island—a lifeline Gimenez says must be severed. "The regime can’t even provide electricity to its own people. It needs to collapse under its own weight. America shouldn’t be providing oxygen to that regime," he said. Although he admitted there could be short-term economic pain in Miami, Gimenez stressed the long-term benefit of potentially accelerating the regime’s downfall.

Why is Cuba treated differently than other state sponsors of terror like Iran or Afghanistan? Gimenez pointed to Cuba’s proximity—just 90 miles from the U.S.—and the deep ties many Cuban-Americans still have to family and friends on the island. "Many families in Miami send money and visit every once in a while," he said. But Gimenez is clear on his stance: "I’ve lived in the U.S. for over 60 years, and I’ve never sent one penny to Cuba or visited family there. Now it’s time to say enough."