Marco Rubio Blasts Joe Biden for Ignoring ‘Evil’ Leftist Regimes in Latin America in Speech to Congress

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) lambasted President Joe Biden’s Wednesday speech to a joint session of Congress for ignoring the ongoing crisis generated by regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, all ran by leftist dictators.

In a statement issued Thursday, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, declared:

Last night, President Biden completely ignored the challenges and threats posed by evil, corrupt regimes in our own backyard. It sends a dangerous signal to Latin America’s dictators, who cozy up to [Russian authoritarian leader Vladimir] Putin, the Ayatollah [Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran], and Xi [Jinping, China’s communist dictator] as they continue to brutally oppress their people. The dictators in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua do not think America cares; they think America is absent.

For years, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees American military activity in most of Latin America and the Caribbean, has repeatedly warned about the growing presence and influence of China, Russia, and Iran in the region.

The U.S. State Department and independent analysts have described socialist Venezuela as a haven for Iran’s narco-terrorist proxy Hezbollah. A top-level FBI official told lawmakers Thursday that Hezbollah poses a direct threat to the American homeland.

Rubio continued:

President Biden’s message made it clear that his administration is indifferent to the threats in our own hemisphere. The U.S. Congress clearly must convey to the people of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua — and to our regional allies — that America is still here, and we will stand with them in the fight against tyranny and terrorism.

Dictator Nicolas Maduro still runs Venezuela despite dozens of countries, including the United States, recognizing Juan Guaido as the financially devastated country’s acting president.

In recent years, Nicaragua’s authoritarian political system dominated by leftist dictator Daniel Ortega has engaged in extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances of people protesting his regime.

Communist Cuba, under the leadership of dictator Miguel Diaz-Canel, continues to oppress its people and provide assistance to Maduro’s efforts to stay in power.

Several analysts, including U.S. lawmakers of Cuban descent such as Rubio, believe Castro is still in power.

Rubio serves as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues.

The only comments Biden made about Latin America pertained to immigration.

Members from both parties have criticized the president for not offering any solutions to the migrant surge fueling the ongoing crisis that is overwhelming resources and authorities at the U.S. southern border.