Republican Senator Rick Scott, representing Florida, predicted in an interview published this Thursday (12) that Venezuela should hold democratic elections within a year and that Cuba could be the next target of US intervention. The impressions were shared with journalist Alejandra Clements, from EFE Agency.
The congressman stated that although the transition to democracy will be difficult, he is confident that it will be possible to “end oppression, free prisoners and begin the campaign to decide who will be the next president of Venezuela.” He expressed support for opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado.
“She is not just my friend, she is a great fighter for democracy. She is a very strong woman and represents an opportunity for the Venezuelan government,” said the senator, who was governor of Florida, a state with a large Venezuelan community, from 2011 to 2019.
As for the current interim government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, who was dictator Nicolás Maduro’s deputy before he was captured by the US, Scott considered that she is “a friend of Nicolás Maduro, who rigged the 2024 elections and is a terrible person for Venezuelans.”
Congressman suggests that former Cuban dictator Raúl Castro could be tried in the US
American Senator Rick Scott also commented on the short-term forecasts for Cuba. Among the expected actions is that Raúl Castro, who led the country until 2018, be tried in the USA amid the tightening of American President Donald Trump’s foreign policy towards Havana.
For the congressman, the former Cuban dictator must be held responsible for killing Americans. “I believe he should be brought to the US to stand trial.”
Asked whether there is a parallel between the cases of Cuba and Venezuela, the Republican senator states that “they are two different situations, but both represent the same opportunity” and argues that Havana should “embrace change.”
