Politics
What Cuban American Trump supporters have to say
For the first time in its half-century history, the Association of Veterans of the Bay of Pigs invasion publicly endorsed a presidential candidate: Republican Donald Trump. The Republican nominee returned the favor by speaking at the group's headquarters and museum in Miami Tuesday.
Humberto Díaz Arguelles, 74, is president of the 2506 Brigade Veterans Association. At 18 he was part of the invasion that sought to overthrow Fidel Castro in April 1961. The Brigade decided to support Trump to show its opposition to the decision by President Barack Obama to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba. "We had to get our opinion out there on the street so people know we are against all the negotiations they are doing with the Castros," he said.
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The invasion by almost 1,500 exiles at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast was a dismal failure and left more than 100 exiles dead and more than 1,000 injured. Today there are about 600 veterans. The majority are hardline Cuban exiles who oppose any dialogue with the Cuban government while the Communist Party is in power. "I can't vote Democrat because we were betrayed," said Jorge García Rubio.
Lorena Arroyo
It's not the first time Trump has been to the Bay of Pigs veterans' center. In 1999, Trump gave a speech there in which he advocated for tougher policies on Cuba and said he wouldn't do business with the island until Fidel Castro was overthrown. On Tuesday, Jorge García Rubio showed a photo of the 1999 event.
Jessica Weiss
Armando Montes, a Bay of Pigs veteran, laments that despite he sees no improvements in Cuba. "What has improved is the amount of money in the pockets of those in power," he said.
Lorena Arroyo
While the majority of those at the Trump event were around 80 years old, Rey Anthony, 20, was also there. A political science student and the grandson of Cuban exiles, he thinks the Bay of Pigs veterans are "heroes." And while he said Trump's not his first choice, he'll support him because he'll defend the Republican values he believes in.
Jessica Weiss
Ivia, 80, is a Cuban American retired teacher, and even though she's about to have hip surgery, she wanted to attend the Trump meeting. "I gave Trump's security a gold Cuban pin that I've had for 50 years, but since I'm 80 and I'll be gone soon, I said, 'Let him keep it.'"
Lorena Arroyo
Clara Roteta never misses a Trump event, and while she couldn't get in to Tuesday's event, she said she wanted to be there to support the Republican candidate. Above she holds a photo of her father, José Arriola, who fought in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
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