Senator Rick Scott on VOZ News: 'Cuba is the root of instability in Latin America'

Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott stopped by VOZ News to talk with journalist and VOZ executive producer Karina Yapor about the main fronts of U.S. foreign policy in the hemisphere. The interview came just a day after the Axios portal revealed, citing U.S. intelligence reports, that the Miguel Díaz-Canel regime would have acquired more than 300 military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023, with offensive, reconnaissance, and surveillance capabilities. According to the report, Cuban officials would have discussed scenarios for the use of this arsenal against the Guantanamo naval base, U.S. military ships, and even areas near Key West in Florida.

Asked by Yapor about the magnitude of that threat - Cuba is just 90 miles from U.S. territory-, Senator Scott did not mince words and put the island at the center of the regional problem:

"Cuba is the root of instability in Latin America, it is terrible for the national security of the United States. Thanks to President Trump for his position against the Cuban regime. It is important for me to fight for freedom and democracy in Cuba. Raul Castro and Diaz-Canel need pressure from the United States. The struggle every day is important. Today there is no money, no oil to the Cuban regime. I will give help to all the people of Cuba in their struggle for freedom and democracy."

The conversation then turned to Colombia, in the run-up to an election marked by political violence. This weekend, two members of conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella's campaign team were assassinated, rekindling doubts about democratic guarantees in the neighboring country, led by leftist and former guerrilla Gustavo Petro. Scott's response about President Petro was direct: "I am very concerned about the future of Colombia and democracy in Colombia. Gustavo Petro is a very bad person. He is a person who remembers the M-19. He is the assistant of the cartels, a friend of Maduro".

The senator also referred to Mexico, amid tensions between Washington and Claudia Sheinbaum's government over the refusal to extradite members of the Morena party accused of drug trafficking in the United States.

"The important thing is to keep Americans safe. If the Mexican government is not going to do its job to keep the cartels from killing Americans, we will have to do it ourselves. And whether she wants to cooperate or not, we're not going to allow the cartels to continue killing Americans. We're not going to allow them to come here with gangs, to come here to sell drugs and kill their children. We're going to prevent death in America, whether she wants to be a part of that or not."

Finally, Against a question about the conflict with Iran and its impact on the U.S. economy, the senator defended the Trump administration's strategy and connected foreign policy to protecting citizens at home:

"I grew up in a poor family; I know the problem. These high prices are hurting our families. Yet they want to kill us. President Trump inherited a terrible economy and a terrible world. Obama's deal with Iran, where we allowed them to have nuclear weapons, was terrible. Trump did the right thing by stopping them from having nuclear weapons. Will it be difficult? Yes. Is it going to take time for gas prices to come down? Yes. But I don't want any American to die from a nuclear weapon from Iran."