Many years ago, a friend in school asked me about Cubans and the GOP. I explained that our attitudes toward the GOP and Democrats had a lot to do with the Bay of Pigs.
It looks as if foreign policy may be once again creating “Republicanos” — or, in this case, “Republicanos Venezolanos.”
This is from Fox:
For the first time in 60 years, South Florida’s political magnifying glass is on a country other than Cuba. The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has pulled it to the forefront of the political conversation not just in the Sunshine State, but across the country.As the country’s problems worsen, Democratic Venezuelan-Americans question whether their party’s actions go far enough. A growing number of exiles say they feel forgotten by a new generation of outspoken, progressive Democrats, leaving them less beholden to a party they had long supported.Issues that for years were hotly debated in an area of Miami known as “Doral-zuela” due to its vibrant Venezuelan community, have made their way to the ears of some of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington, D.C.The Venezuelans are angry that, as the country continues to spiral, some Democrats keep calling on the U.S. to pull out of Venezuela and lift all sanctions against the government.“This is where the Democrats have consistently dropped the ball … they have never felt like it was an important issue … it’s very difficult to feel and coexist in the same party that is saying these things are so ignorant about my homeland,” said Venezuelan immigrant Helena Poleo.
To be honest, I don’t know how big an electoral factor this Venezuelan vote is yet. Nevertheless, we did see Governor Scott and Representative DeSantis win close elections for the U.S. Senate and the governorship.
Furthermore, my guess is that any naturalized Venezuelan is going to show his support for President Trump in 2020. It’s hard to see any of the current crop of Democrats inspire much confidence in South Florida.
And if Senator Sanders wins the nomination, then all that the Trump campaign has to do is run those videos praising Castro and Ortega’s Sandinistas.
At one time, you could count on Democrats to stand against socialism. Not anymore, and that’s something making a lot of Venezuelans very mad.
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