This morning, ahead of Donald Trump’s visit to Miami, Cuban and Venezuelan leaders participated in a bilingual roundtable on Facebook Live condemning the Trump administration’s broken promises to Venezuelan and Cuban communities, and to those who have fled dictatorships. This roundtable featured the perspectives of Liz Rebecca Alarcon, Dr. Frank Mora, and Leopoldo Martinez Nucete.

Trump’s visit comes after a series of events exposing his failed and inconsistent strategy toward Venezuela as just a rhetorical ploy to win Florida, including allegations by his former national security adviser John Bolton that Trump had second thoughts about his recognition of Juan Guaidó, calling him a “kid.” In June, Trump said he would be open to meet with the dictator Nicolás Maduro. Most recently, two senior aides to Trump’s administration and campaign expressed offensive views about the Cuban immigrant community.

WATCH THE ROUNDTABLE HERE

HIGHLIGHTS

Leopoldo Martinez Nucete – Venezuelan American, DNC Member and Latino Victory board member

“He’s going to sit down today with Venezuelan migrants, I saw his agenda. Is he willing to grant Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans? … we have 150,000 people here in this country with a vulnerable migration status.

“…Look beyond what says — and assess and evaluate what he has done. He has done nothing to resolve this pandemic. Pretty much like he has done nothing –just talk– about Venezuela. He doesn’t care about Venezuelans.”

Liz Rebecca Alarcon – Venezuelan American, Founder and Executive Director of Pulso

“So what is Donald Trump going to tell the Venezuelan students whose universities are online to preserve the health of every person in this country due to COVID-19, when they have to go back to Venezuela?

“These are photo ops… that follow no action to really protect the Venezuelans that are here in this country, and to take critical strategic action to help Venezuelans in Venezuela, as well.”

Dr. Frank Mora – Cuban American, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere

“Why isn’t he granting TPS for Venezuelans? Why increase the deportations of Cubans? Why are Cubans being detained without their cases being considered in Louisiana? Why are there so many Cubans in at the US-Mexico border without also having their cases heard?

“There have been repeated examples of failure because of an incoherent strategy — not just toward Venezuela, not just toward Cuba, but towards the region and the world. A series of improvised, ad-hoc measures largely motivated by an effort to maintain the votes in Florida…I believe we’ll no longer be fooled by this symbolism, by the rhetoric, by the reality TV show attitude of the president. We’ll look at the substance of what he’s doing.”