MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - A controversial tour of Miami International Airport by a Cuban delegation is prompting outrage among federal and local officials.
On Tuesday, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she and other county officials were left in the dark by the Transportation Security Administration after officials of the Cuban government toured parts of the airport on Monday.
“Yesterday, for approximately five hours, five members of the Cuban government, Cuban officials, the equivalent of their TSA received a tour,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Department Director Ralph Cutié.
“The administration, the airport, the port director and no one related to Miami-Dade county government had any idea or any clue that this was ongoing,” said Miami-Dade County Commission Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez.
During a commission meeting on Tuesday, county officials discussed the recent visit and expressed frustration at being kept out of the loop.
“The fact that this happened, totally unknown to anyone at the airport, including anyone in my office,” said Levine-Cava.
The mayor denounced the visit and said that she has asked Homeland Security officials to include county officials in future discussions regarding granting foreign officials with access to the airport.
Commissioners, meantime, questioned how these foreign officials, from a less-than-friendly country, toured the behind-the-scenes work of the airport’s national security.
“We have dealt with Cuban spies for decades. When you have a Cuban delegation going somewhere, that’s what this is about,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado.
The visit landed on a special day for the exile community: Cuban Independence Day.
“They did it on May 20. May 20 is the equivalent of July 4 in the United States so it’s not just one slap in the face, it’s two slaps in the face for the Cuban community,” said Congressman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL-28).
Many Cuban exiles in South Florida are also taking this visit personally and expressing outrage.
“We are extremely, extremely offended by these actions,” said Asamblea de la Resistencia Cubana Luis Zuniga. “Instead of celebrating the independence of Cuba as a nation, as a republic, now they bring the ones who destroyed our republic.”
In a statement on Tuesday, TSA said:
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) routinely works with all countries with direct flights to the United States. TSA hosts government officials and members of the aviation community at U.S. airports to foster a strong global aviation security posture.
U.S. and Cuban authorities jointly manage the airspace between Cuba and the United States and ensure the safety and security of travelers using our airports. The Republic of Cuba has six last point of departure airports with direct flights to the United States, and accordingly TSA continually works to strengthen the security framework with Cuba and other Caribbean nations.
TSA Spokesperson
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