Cuban-American Police Officer Criticizes Potential Ban on Flights and Remittances to Cuba: Here’s Why

Sergio Rodríguez Beristain, a Cuban-born police officer now residing in the United States, has voiced criticism against a recent proposal by Congressman Carlos Giménez. Giménez has urged the Trump administration to halt flights and remittances to Cuba, a move Rodríguez Beristain argues has been tested before with little success in toppling the regime, only adding to the hardships faced by everyday Cubans.

"It’s like spinning your wheels in the mud; you move but don’t get anywhere... What will this achieve? This has been tried before," Rodríguez Beristain stated in a video on his Facebook profile. He mourns that this strategy, instead of impacting the political power structure in Cuba, will further harm the most vulnerable sectors of Cuban society.

A Failed Approach

Rodríguez Beristain highlights the persistent use of ineffective policies such as the economic embargo and the Helms-Burton Act, which he believes have only worsened living conditions for Cubans without significantly weakening the Castro regime. "Repeating ineffective measures perpetuates a vicious cycle. It’s either a business or a mockery. The ones to suffer are the ordinary Cubans, those who are aging, lacking resources, and defenseless. What will these policies do to them?" he questioned.

Political Manipulation of Cuban-American Votes

Although Rodríguez Beristain identifies with neither Democrats nor Trump supporters, he contends that these policies are utilized by Republican politicians as electoral tools rather than genuine attempts at change. "These obsolete strategies don’t work; they just justify the votes they’ve secured from Republican Cuban-Americans," he claimed. He argues that for decades, the suffering of the Cuban people has served as electoral currency.

The Helms-Burton Act, the embargo, and the suspension of travel and remittances to Cuba, according to Beristain, have served three purposes: emotionally manipulating Republican Cuban-Americans for votes, consolidating power once elected, and perpetuating the political cycle with varying Republican candidates.

A Call for New Strategies

Rodríguez Beristain concludes that repeating failed formulas won’t yield different outcomes. He urges the development of more intelligent, humane policies with real potential for change. "There’s only one solution: to seek new, progressive strategies for change. The United States has the capacity but chooses to appease voters and manipulate them rather than confront them with the truth," he concluded.

Even Mauricio Claver-Carone, U.S. special envoy for Latin America, expressed skepticism: "These are old tools, I’d say. I believe we can be more creative, but obviously, I understand it comes from a place of good intentions."

The proposal by Giménez rekindles a long-standing and deep debate within the Cuban diaspora: How can a dictatorial regime be confronted without imposing further burdens on a populace already suffering under its rule?

Nevertheless, Congressman Carlos Giménez, himself Cuban-American, has publicly defended the letter he sent to the U.S. Treasury Department this week requesting the suspension of travel and remittances to Cuba. When asked if these measures might harm ordinary citizens more than the Cuban government, Giménez was firm: "They are affected because there is a dictatorship; we need to eliminate the dictatorship. It’s the dictatorship we’re targeting, not the Cuban people," he emphasized.

"It’s difficult, but sometimes tough measures are necessary to achieve the ultimate goal, which is the elimination of this regime and freedom for the people of Cuba," he stated.