Romney Backs U.S. Embargo On Cuba, Refers To Fidel Castro And His Regime As “Monsters”
Romney Supports The Current U.S. Embargo On Cuba. “Romney declared he supported the current U.S.
embargo on Cuba to avoid enriching Cuban President Fidel Castro, a Communist dictator he accused of disrupting peace and stability in the region.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Airs Spanish-Language Ad In Advance Of Florida Visit,” The Associated Press, 3/6/07)
“‘I Look Forward To The Day When The Stain Of Castro Is Finally Washed From The Soil Of Cuba,’
Romney Said.” (Erik Schelzig, “Fred Thompson Urged To Make ‘08 Run,” The Associated Press, 3/10/07)
Romney Wants To Have A Latin American Strategy To Improve Economic Ties and Rebuild Trust With Cuba. “At a dinner for Miami-Dade County Republicans, the former Massachusetts governor spoke about supporting the U.S. embargo with the island nation. He also called for a ‘Latin American strategy’ to improve economic ties, rebuild trust with countries in the region. (Erik Schelzig, “Fred Thompson Urged To Make ‘08 Run,” The Associated Press, 3/10/07)
Romney Called Castro “A Monster.” “Targeting his message to the Latin American and Cuban-American Republicans who dominated the crowd, he called Cuban leader Fidel Castro ‘a monster.’” (Brian E. Crowley, “Romney Launches Early Fla. Push,” Palm Beach Post, 3/10/07)
Romney: “As President, I Will Stand Side-By-Side With The Members Of This Community In Fighting The Menace Of The Cuban Monsters.” (Beth Reinhard, “Romney Dodges Immigration Issue In South Florida,” McClatchy Newspapers, 3/10/07)
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In March 2007, Romney Incorrectly Used Slogan Made Famous By Fidel Castro In Miami Speech To Cuban-American Activists
Romney Mistakenly Invoked Trademark Castro Phrase “Patria O Muerte, Venceremos” As Belonging “To A Free Cuba.” “People chuckled when presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a Mormon raised in Michigan and elected in Massachusetts, bungled the names of Cuban-American politicians during a recent speech in Miami. But when he mistakenly associated Fidel Castro’s trademark speech-ending slogan – Patria o muerte, venceremos! – with a free Cuba, listeners didn’t laugh. They winced. Castro has closed his speeches with the phrase – in English, ‘Fatherland or death, we shall overcome’ – for decades.” (Beth Reinhard, “Presidential Candidate Bungles Speech In Miami,” Miami Herald, 3/19/07)
“The Phrase, Which Means ‘Fatherland Or Death, We Shall Overcome,’ Was Bellowed As A Political Speech Sign-Off By The Dictator For Decades.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
WSVN-TV’s Dave Kartunen: “Actually, That Phrase Belongs To Fidel Castro.” WSVN’s DAVE KARTUNEN: “McCain shared a familiarity with the [Bay of Pigs] vets that was painfully lacking two weeks ago when former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney made his play for Cuban hearts and votes while addressing the Miami-Dade Republican party.” ROMNEY: “Hugo Chavez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase. Excuse me with my pronunciation: ‘Patria o muerte, venceremos.’ It does not belong to him, it belongs to a free Cuba.’”KARTUNEN: “Actually, that phrase belongs to Fidel Castro.” (WSVN’s “Channel 7 News At 5:30,” 3/21/07)
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer: “When Cuban-American Republicans Heard Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney Speak In Miami, Many Say They Thought They Were Listening To Fidel Castro.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,”3/21/07)
Associated Press Noted That “Unlike Romney, Castro Would Switch To English” To Deliver Trademark Line. “In truth, the phrase does not belong to free Cubans. It has been the trademark speechmaking sign-off of their most despised opponent, Fidel Castro. And unlike Romney, Castro would switch to English to declare,
‘Fatherland or death, we shall overcome.’ The mistake pointed up Romney’s newness to the scene and the freshness of some of his positions.” (Glen Johnson, “Romney Works Through Checklist,” The Associated Press, 3/26/07)
CNN’s Mary Snow: Romney Made Impression On Cuban-American Group By Using Castro’s Catch Phrase, “Just Not The Kind He Wanted.” “Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was trying to make an impression with Cuban-American Republicans in Miami earlier this month. He made one – just not the kind he wanted. After using a communist catch phrase made famous by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, the crowd took notice.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 3/21/07)
Snow: “Romney Was Speaking To A Packed House, But His Attempt To Sound Familiar, Say Some Cuban-Americans, Fell Flat.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 3/21/07)Invocation Of Castro Slogan Was Not The Only Mistake Romney Made During Speech
Romney Called Florida State House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) “Mario.” “At another point in the speech to the Miami-Dade Republican Party, Romney bungled the names of prominent Cuban GOP politicians, referring to Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio as ‘Mario.’” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
Romney Also Mispronounced The Names Of U.S. Reps. Lincoln And Mario Diaz-Balart (R). “State Rep.
Rene Garcia, for one, said he was ‘unimpressed.’ The Hialeah Republican grimaced when Romney called the state House Speaker ‘Mario Rubio’ – his first name is Marco – and mispronounced the names of U.S. Reps.
Mario and Lincoln Diaz-Balart. ‘He used the Cuba issue way too much,’ Garcia said. ‘I don’t want to judge a man based on one speech alone, but it bothered me that he didn’t get the names right.’” (Beth Reinhard, “Presidential Candidate Bungles Speech In Miami,” Miami Herald, 3/19/07)
Romney “Punctuated” His Speech With Line Made Famous In Movie “Scarface,” Prompting Concerns Over Stereotyping Of Cuban Immigrants. “Romney punctuated his speech with ‘Libertad, libertad, libertad!’ to show his support for freedom in Cuba. But to some, he was echoing a line from Scarface, a movie notorious for its stereotyped portrayal of Cuban immigrants.” (Beth Reinhard, “Presidential Candidate Bungles Speech In Miami,” Miami Herald, 3/19/07)
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Local Activists Were Not Pleased By Romney’s Error-Filled Remarks
Cuban-American Activists Described As “Steaming Mad” Over Romney’s Botched Speech In Miami.
“Cubans in Miami are steaming mad at former Gov. Mitt Romney for shooting his mouth off in stumbling Spanish, mispronouncing names and erroneously associating a notorious Fidel Castro-spewed Communist catch phrase with freedom fighters. Politicians in South Florida have lashed out at the former Massachusetts governor and 2008 presidential hopeful for describing the socialist saying ‘Patria o muerte, venceremos’ as ‘inspiring’ and for claiming the phrase was swiped from liberty-seeking Cubans by leftist admirers of Castro.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
“Ana Navarro, A Miami-Based Former United Nations Ambassador Who Was At The Event, Called The Quote ‘A Mistake’ By ‘An Empty Suit.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
Navarro Called Romney’s Remarks “Wrong … Offensive … Inappropriate.” “[Romney] was just parroting words that had been prepared for him, and he obviously does not know enough to know that these words are wrong and are offensive and are just inappropriate.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 3/21/07)State Rep. Rene Garcia (R) Said Romney Needed To Be “A Little Better-Prepared” And Had “Left A Negative Taste.” “[State Rep. Rene] Garcia said Romney was ‘ill-advised’ to mention the saying at all, especially speaking in Miami, the epicenter of the Cuban-American struggle. ‘When you come into our community, you should be a little better-prepared,’ Garcia said, adding that the incident ‘left a negative taste with local officials.’”
(Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
Prominent Cuban-Americans Strenuously Disagreed With Repeated Assertion By Romney And His Aides That Phrase “Belongs To A Free Cuba”
Days After Speech, Romney Campaign Still Maintained Phrase “Belongs To A Free Cuba.” “Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said of the flap: ‘The point is, the phrase belongs to liberators, not oppressors. It doesn’t belong to Fidel Castro. It doesn’t belong to Hugo Chavez. It belongs to a free Cuba.’” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
“Cuban Politicians Fumed That The Term Was Coined By Castro’s Regime And Has Always Been A Communist Catchphrase.” “Romney said the phrase ‘does not belong’ to Castro and should be returned to ‘a free Cuba.’ … Despite Romney’s explanation, Cuban politicians fumed that the term was coined by Castro’s regime and has always been a Communist catchphrase. ‘Whoever prepared him or advised him on this particular subject didn’t do a good enough job,’ [Hialeah City Council President Esteban] Bovo said.” (Dave Wedge, “Romney Takes Heat In Florida,” Boston Herald, 3/21/07)
The Phrase “Has Always Been A Communist Rallying Cry … It Represents The Very Essence Of Fidel Castro’s Oppressive Regime.” “‘Hugo Chavez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase - Patria o muerte, venceremos,’ Romney said. ‘It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba.’ But scholars and prominent Cubans contend the saying has always been a Communist rallying cry and that it represents the very essence of Fidel Castro’s oppressive regime.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
University Of Miami Professor Jaime Suchlicki: “It Belongs To Fidel … I Don’t Know Where [Romney]
Got That.” “‘Hugo Chávez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase – Patria o muerte, venceremos,’ Romney said. ‘It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba.’ No, it doesn’t, said University of Miami Professor Jaime Suchlicki. ‘It belongs to Fidel,’ said Suchlicki, an expert on Cuban history. ‘I don’t know where [Romney] got that.’” (Beth Reinhard, “Presidential Candidate Bungles Speech In Miami,” Miami Herald, 3/19/07)
State Rep. Rene Garcia (R): “It Means Communism. It Means Fidel Castro … It’s A Communist Catch Phrase.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
Cuban Scholar Sandra Levinson: “[It] Was Never A Cry Of The Old Cuba.” “Sandra Levinson, executive director of the Center for Cuban Studies in New York City, said the Castro quote ‘was never a cry of the old Cuba’ and was coined by Castro and his supporters.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
Activist Ana Navarro: “It’s A Fidel Castro Phrase. I’ve Never Heard It From Anyone Other Than Fidel Castro Or Members Of His Government.” (Dave Wedge, “Mitt’s Commie Phrase Sparks Rage,” Boston Herald, 3/20/07)
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Romney Praised Plan By Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez To Provide Low-Income Massachusetts Residents With Discounted Heating Oil, Declined To Criticize Chavez
In 2005, Romney Praised Plan By Venezuelan Government And Hugo Chavez To Provide Americans With Subsidized Oil. “The first deliveries of cheap Venezuelan heating oil to cash-strapped Massachusetts residents will not arrive for weeks, but the deal involving President Hugo Chavez already is generating political heat on both sides. … Tensions have run high recently between Bush and Chavez, a self-styled socialist who assails American-style capitalism and has branded Bush a ‘madman.’ … Venezuela’s Citgo Petroleum Corp. promoted its plan to offer 12 million gallons of cut-rate oil this winter with the headline: ‘How Venezuela is Keeping the Home Fires Burning In Massachusetts.’” (Andrew Miga, “Venezuela’s Deal To Provide Cheap Oil To Some In Mass. Draws Heat,” The Associated Press, 12/1/05)
At The Time, Romney Pronounced Himself “Delighted” With Plan, Declined To Criticize Chavez. “Governor Mitt Romney yesterday hailed the accord, though he declined to discuss Chavez. ‘I’m delighted to hear we’ll be able to purchase oil at a lower price than the market for our citizens,’ he said.” (Raja Mishra, “Fuel Pact Defended At Local Signing,” The Boston Globe, 11/23/05)
Romney Offered Thanks To “All Of Those Around The World Working To Get Lower-Priced Energy To Us.” “Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican like President Bush, cheered the agreement during a Statehouse news conference, saying, ‘I want to say thanks to Congressman Delahunt and all of those around the world working to get lower-priced energy to us.’” (Mark Jewell, “Venezuela To Provide Discounted Heating Oil To Massachusetts,”
The Associated Press, 11/22/05)
Plan Called “Political Move” By Chavez “Designed To Compromise The White House’s Domestic Position” And Extend His Influence In The World. “The plan in Massachusetts is ‘eminently a political move’
designed to compromise the White House’s domestic position, said Patrick Esteruelas, an analyst with the New York-based Eurasia Group. He said it was also a way to emphasize what Chavez has long cited as the failings of U.S. policy. The initiative is part of a larger effort by Chavez to use Venezuela’s surging oil wealth to extend the country’s influence.” (Mark Jewell, “Venezuela To Provide Discounted Heating Oil To Massachusetts,” The Associated Press, 11/22/05)
Chavez Is Accelerating Energy Showdown With United States Over Venezuela’s Massive Oil Reserves
Chavez’s Plan To Seize Control Of Venezuelan Oil Projects From Western Companies Augurs Potential
“Showdown” Over Energy Fields. “With President Hugo Chávez setting a May 1 deadline for an ambitious plan to wrest control of several major oil projects from American and European companies, a showdown is looming here over access to some of the most coveted energy resources outside the Middle East. … [T]his confrontation could easily end up with everyone losing. the biggest energy companies could be squeezed out of the most promising oil patch in the western hemisphere.” (Simon Romero and Clifford Krauss, “High Stakes: Chávez Plays The Oil Card,”
The New York Times, 4/10/07)
Energy Consultant Michael J. Economides: Chavez Bigger Threat To U.S. Energy Security Than Saddam Hussein Ever Was. “We are on a collision course with Chávez over oil … Chávez poses a much bigger threat to America’s energy security than Saddam Hussein ever did.” (Simon Romero and Clifford Krauss, “High Stakes: Chávez Plays The Oil Card,” The New York Times, 4/10/07)
Chavez Currently Spearheading Government Takeover Of Oil Field So Large “It Could Give The Country More Reserves Than Saudi Arabia.” “Mr. Chávez recently decreed that Venezuela would take control of heavy oil fields in the Orinoco Belt, a region southeast of Caracas of so much potential that some experts say it could give the country more reserves than Saudi Arabia. The United States Geological Survey describes the area as the ‘largest single hydrocarbon accumulation in the world,’ making it highly coveted despite Mr. Chávez’s erratic policies.” (Simon Romero and Clifford Krauss, “High Stakes: Chávez Plays The Oil Card,” The New York Times, 4/10/07)