Rep. María Elvira Salazar, U.S. Congresswoman representing Florida’s 27th district since 2021, marked two significant anniversaries in recent social media posts: the founding of the United States Coast Guard and the Maleconazo uprising in Havana.
On August 4, 2025, Salazar recognized the anniversary of the U.S. Coast Guard by posting: “Happy 235th birthday to the @USCG
Today, we honor the brave men and women who live by the motto Semper Paratus (Always Ready) and protect our nation with courage and commitment. https://t.co/j9vNVe62wb“
The following day, she addressed the legacy of the Maleconazo protests in Cuba on its 31st anniversary. In her English-language post on August 5, she wrote: “Today marks 31 years since the Maleconazo uprising in Havana.
Thousands of Cubans took to the streets, demanding freedom from hunger and repression. The regime answered with violence.
Three decades later, the suffering has only deepened:
No food.
No electricity.
No freedom. https://t.co/2CFI3xrduv“
Later that same day, Salazar shared a similar message in Spanish: “Hoy se cumplen 31 años del Maleconazo en La Habana.
Miles de cubanos salieron a las calles exigiendo libertad frente al hambre y la represión.
La dictadura respondió con balas.
Tres décadas después, el sufrimiento solo ha empeorado:
Sin comida.
Sin electricidad.
Sin libertad. https://t.co/2CFI3xqFEX“
María Elvira Salazar was born in Miami in 1961 and is an alumna of the University of Miami. She succeeded Donna Shalala as representative for Florida’s 27th district after her election to Congress in 2021 and previously served in Florida’s state legislature.
The U.S. Coast Guard traces its origins back to August 4, 1790, making it one of America’s oldest federal organizations responsible for maritime safety and security. The Maleconazo refers to a mass protest that occurred on August 5, 1994, when thousands gathered along Havana’s Malecón seawall demanding political change amid severe economic hardship; government forces responded with forceful measures against demonstrators.
