Cuban-American Voters Reject Obama Policy of Easing Sanctions

DE CASTRO REGIME NEEDS FUNDS TO CONTINUE THEIR STATE OF TERROR, PERSECUTION AND REPRESSION.


November 16, 2010
Cuban-American Voters Reject Obama Policy of Easing Sanctions

Washington, D.C. — The outcome of this month's Congressional elections demonstrate that Cuban-American voters continue to overwhelmingly support candidates who are committed to maintaining trade and travel sanctions against the Castro dictatorship in Cuba.

According to an analysis commissioned by Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp., Florida Senator-elect Marco Rubio and Congressman-elect David Rivera (FL-25) each received at least 70% of the Cuban-American vote. Both Rubio and Rivera have strongly and publicly expressed their opposition to the Obama Administration's policy of unilaterally easing sanctions towards the Castro regime. Meanwhile, Rivera's opponent, Joe Garcia, a former Obama Administration official who is closely identified with its Cuba policy, received less that 18% of the Cuban-American vote.

The data also shows that both Rubio and Rivera defeated their opponents handily in every major Cuban demographic, thus disproving the so-called theory of a "generation divide" amongst Cuban-Americans. In fact, over half of Cuban-American voters were more inclined to vote for Rivera due to his efforts as a FL state legislator to strengthen sanctions.

"The message to the Obama Administration is clear: the Cuban-American community favors the continuation of U.S. sanctions towards the Cuban regime until a process of democratic reform begins," said Mauricio Claver-Carone, Executive Director of Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy,Corp., which commissioned the analysis. "At a time when the Castro regime is facing unprecedented domestic pressure and challenges, the U.S. should not bail it out," added Claver-Carone.

The analysis was conducted by political science professor, Dr. Dario Moreno, who was responsible for Rubio and Rivera's Miami-Dade polling, and is based on a review of pre-election public opinion polls and a homogeneous precinct analysis of the election results.

A summary of the findings show:

· Marco Rubio won at least 72% of the Cuban-American Vote
· David Rivera won at least 70% of the Cuban American Vote
· Young Cuban-American voters supported Rivera and Rubio only slightly less (-3/-5) than those over 60, indicating no generational divide
· A majority of Cuban-American voters were more inclined to support candidates that favor restricting travel to Cuba

Click here to view the complete analysis.

Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp. is a Washington, D.C.-based independent, non-partisan institution dedicated to the promotion of a transition in Cuba towards democracy, the respect for human rights, and the rule of law.