Cuban-Americans are outraged after New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio invoked a slogan coined by Che Guevara, one of Fidel Castro’s Cuban revolutionaries.
De Blasio uttered the notorious slogan, Hasta la victoria, siempre!”, while addressing striking workers at Miami International Airport.
The Miami Herald called Guevara one of the “most hated historical figures throughout Miami.” The newspaper said the city’s Cuban exile community considers him to be a “murderous sociopath.”
DE BLASIO SPARKS OUTRAGE: Presidential candidate captured on video uttering slogan coined by Che Guevara.
de Blasio yells “Hasta la victoria, siempre!” which translates to “Until victory, always!”
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 27, 2019
As CBS News in Miami reports Che Guevara used to sign off his letters to Fidel Castro during the 1960s using the slogan.
“Socialist regimes in those nations are responsible for holding thousands of political prisoners, oppression, brutal repression and for causing the flight of millions. Most notably in Venezuela,” the television station reported.
State Sen. Jose Javier Rodríguez, called on De Blasio to apologize.
“Quoting a murderer responsible for death & oppression in communist Cuba and throughout Latin America is not acceptable. Please apologize,” Rodríguez tweeted.
I am utterly disgusted! Both @JoseJavierJJR and I left before @BilldeBlasio spoke. This is completely unacceptable! How can anyone wanting to be the leader of the free world quote a murderous guerrilla -in Miami no less! A community filled with his victims! #DeleteYourCampaign https://t.co/deDoNPFZxm
— Annette Taddeo (She/Her) (@Annette_Taddeo) June 27, 2019
De Blasio later did just that and apologized on Twitter.
“I did not know the phrase I used in Miami today was associated with Che Guevara & I did not mean to offend anyone who heard it that way. I certainly apologize for not understanding that history.”
Anybody believe that?
