On Tuesday, Republican Senator Rick Scott released a video on his X account condemning the Cuban regime as "despicable" and directly warning Raúl Castro: "You will go to jail for killing Americans."
In the audio shared across social media platforms, Scott fiercely criticized the Havana administration, vowing that he, along with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will continue their fight until the Cuban people can freely elect their leaders.
“I have never met a Cuban in Miami who said the Castro regime was great. No. The Castro regime imprisoned their family,” the senator declared.
Scott accused the regime of imprisoning any citizen who protests due to lack of electricity or healthcare, regardless of age: "If a young person takes to the streets and says they have no electricity, the Cuban regime responds: you go to jail. No healthcare? Jail."
The Regime's Hostility Towards Its People and the U.S.
The senator further accused the Cuban government of killing Americans, spying on the country, and stealing from it, describing it as "a despicable government that hates its own people."
One of the most striking moments in the video was when Scott compared Trump to Obama. Scott highlighted that the current president "is not playing baseball" with the regime, directly referencing Barack Obama’s visit to Cuba in March 2016 when the former president attended a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban national team alongside Raúl Castro, symbolizing a thaw in diplomatic relations. Critics viewed this gesture as legitimizing the regime.
Persistent Campaign Against the Cuban Regime
Scott's remarks are part of a sustained pressure campaign he has maintained throughout 2026. In January, he claimed that the regime’s "days are numbered"; in March, he demanded Raúl Castro be extradited to the U.S. for trial; and in April, during the "United for Cuba" event at Bayfront Park, Miami, he declared, "It is important for Díaz-Canel and Raúl Castro to be in prison."
The legal foundation for Scott's warning is specific: on May 20, the U.S. Department of Justice announced federal criminal charges against Raúl Castro for the downing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes on February 24, 1996, which resulted in the deaths of four Cuban-Americans: Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
Trump Administration's Maximum Pressure Policy
Scott hailed this indictment as "a great day" and has consistently argued that the Cuban regime is, in his view, "the root of instability in Latin America" and a direct threat to U.S. national security.
The Trump administration's policy of maximum pressure has echoed this rhetoric with concrete actions: on May 1, Trump signed Executive Order 14404, expanding sanctions against the Cuban government; in June, restrictions targeted Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife Lis Cuesta, and Alejandro Castro Espín; and on July 13, sanctions were imposed on the Ministry of Tourism and nine other state entities.
“I will fight. President Trump will fight. Marco Rubio will fight for a free Cuba, so Cubans have the opportunity to choose their government. And you know what? It won't be the Castro brothers,” Scott concluded in the video.
Key Questions About Rick Scott's Warning to Raúl Castro
What prompted Rick Scott's warning to Raúl Castro?
Rick Scott's warning to Raúl Castro is based on allegations of the Cuban regime's involvement in killing Americans, specifically related to the 1996 downing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes.
How has the Trump administration supported Rick Scott's stance on Cuba?
The Trump administration has supported Rick Scott's stance through a series of actions, including expanded sanctions against the Cuban government and targeting key figures like Miguel Díaz-Canel and Alejandro Castro Espín.
What legal actions have been taken against Raúl Castro?
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced federal criminal charges against Raúl Castro for the 1996 downing of two planes that resulted in the deaths of four Cuban-Americans.