Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Carlos Gimenez announced that Cuban opposition leader Rosa María Payá will be his guest for the State of the Union. Payá is known for her fight against Communism in Cuba and for seeking justice for her father, Oswaldo Payá, a renowned activist who was murdered by the Castro regime.
Gimenez expressed his pride in having Payá as his guest, stating, "She is joining me to denounce the ongoing brutality of Cuba, demand freedom for all political prisoners, and hold the regime accountable for its crimes against humanity." He also criticized colleagues who have met with Cuban officials, calling them "apologists" for the Communist regime.
In response to the invitation, Rosa María Payá said, "This comes a week after my family filed a lawsuit against Victor Manuel Rocha, the former U.S. Diplomat that served as a spy for the Cuban regime for decades." She emphasized her family's fight for truth and justice in the face of the Cuban regime's impunity.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, the only Cuban-born Member of the 118th Congress, has a background as a career firefighter paramedic and has served as the former Fire Chief of the City of Miami and Mayor of Miami-Dade County. He currently sits on the House Armed Services Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and the Select Committee on China.
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