MIAMI (WSVN) - Community leaders are denouncing Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders’ comments on Fidel Castro, calling him uninformed and out-of-touch with South Florida residents.
A day after Sanders appeared on “60 Minutes,” community leaders, such as Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, said the 78-year-old is “tone deaf” in his comments regarding the former Cuban leader.
“We are very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba, but it’s unfair to simply say that everything is bad,” Sanders said on Sunday. “When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”
Local leaders held a press conference on Monday in front of Miami City Hall in Coconut Grove that was focused on fighting communism. Suarez also announced that Miami will host the first anti-communism concert in the country, but he also addressed Sanders’ statements.
“Our city represents the stories of countless individuals who have risked their lives to flee communism,” Suarez said. “What Senator Sanders conveniently omitted from his colorful characterization of communist Cuba was Castro’s forceful and violent imposition of power, attacking human rights and freedom of speech.”
In a previous “60 Minutes” interview, Sanders said, “He educated the kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society.”
However, Suarez was not the only local leader criticizing the senator’s comments.
Author and activist Dr. Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, a representative of the Cuban Democratic Directorate, said Sanders lacked “sensibility and awareness.”
“It’s very worrisome that a candidate to the presidency to the United States has that lack of knowledge about the crimes of communism,” he said.
“He doesn’t get it,” U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala, D-Fla., said. “Anyone that would say what he said about the Cuban regime is simply off base.”
For some South Floridians at Cafe Versailles, along Southwest Eighth Street, Sanders’ words hit deep.
“It’s truly a sign that the man is an imbecile, because when you take a look at Cuba today, Mr. Castro destroyed everything,” Pedro Gomez said outside the restaurant.
“I think he’s living in the 18th century,” Mario Echeveria said outside of Cafe Versailles. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying. Sounds like he doesn’t realize that he lives in the USA.”
Some, like Osvaldo Hernandez, said the senator’s comments prove there is no way Cuban Americans will vote for the Democratic front-runner in the upcoming primary.
“Bernie Sanders is over, is over, no more Bernie Sanders,” Hernandez said.
Monday evening, Sanders appeared in a town hall in Charleston, South Carolina.
“A lot of folks in Cuba, at that point, were illiterate,” he said. “He formed the Literacy Brigade. He went out, and they helped people learn to read and write. You know what? I think teaching people to read and write is a good thing.”
The Miami-Dade and Florida Democratic Party chairs have both released statements denouncing communism.
Some people are calling out Sanders on social media and in news releases, including some of his fellow candidates vying to secure to the democratic nomination.
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