By Evaristo Lara
Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, signed a law by which he restricts his team officials from contacting the Cuban government and, above all, receiving any gifts from politicians trying to lobby from the Caribbean island.
The so-called Foreign Interference Restriction and Withhold an Eye on Act (FIRE Act) also expands sanctions against entities linked to the Cuban government and other countries considered threatening to US security.
From the Bay of Pigs Museum and Bookstore, a building located in Miami, Florida, the president of the “Sunshine State” attacked the Cuban regime.
“It is time for the Cuban communist dictatorship to be put in the past once and for all. We will not allow public resources to end up in the hands of regimes or entities that threaten our security or promote terrorism. Florida will not be a refuge for foreign interests that threaten our freedom,” he emphasized.
The restrictions marked in this new legislation extend to China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and Syria.
However, these countries already faced limitations in Florida in public investments, land purchases, government contracts and academic agreements.
In a forceful way, Florida authorities are prevented from delivering or receiving funds from organizations defined as terrorists.
Based on this, the legislation establishes mechanisms to designate certain organizations under this concept.
In addition, Local governments and tax collectors are empowered to revoke business licenses of companies or individuals found violating federal laws by doing business with Cuba.
De Santis added a clause so that the restrictions of this law can be reversed either temporarily or permanently.
However, to reach that point, the Cuban government must agree to establish changes in its policy aimed at ending the participation of the military in charge of the administration and development of the Island, which seems complex.
In fact, for several weeks, the United States has intensified the economic blockade targeting Cuba, worsening the living conditions of millions of people.
Aligning with Washington policy, the FIRE Act will go into effect on the first day of July.
Keep reading:
• Marco Rubio sanctions a company controlled by the Cuban army and another in the metallurgical sector
• Trump assures that the United States will take Cuba after the conflict in Iran
• The US deploys forces to stop migration from Cuba and tension grows in Florida
