Miami highway billboard accuses Cuban-American politicians of being traitors for not supporting immigrants

A controversial billboard placed on the Palmetto Expressway in Miami accuses Cuban-American politicians from South Florida of being "traitors" for not supporting the immigrant community in the face of the strict immigration policies promoted during the Donald Trump administration.

The image of the poster, shared on Facebook by Cuban journalist Javier Díaz, showcases the faces, in black and white, of the current Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, as well as U.S. representatives María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Giménez, and Mario Díaz-Balart.

They all appear against a red background, accompanied by the word "TRAITORS" in white uppercase letters.

Below, the message concludes with a triple accusation: “To immigrants. To Miami-Dade. To the American Dream.”

At the bottom of the poster, the message "Protect TPS / Protejan TPS" is displayed (Temporary Protected Status), accompanied by the flag of Venezuela, reinforcing the accusation towards the apparent indifference or rejection of those involved in maintaining this humanitarian immigration policy.

"Billboard on the Palmetto highway labeling Cuban-American politicians from South Florida as traitors for supposedly not supporting immigrants in the current policies of the Trump administration. We'll see how long it stays up and whether it will be removed before the advertising deadline," wrote Javier Díaz when sharing the image on social media.

According to a report by El Nuevo Herald, the billboard is part of a campaign launched by the Miami-Dade Democratic Hispanic Caucus, an organization associated with the Democratic Party, which denounces the inaction and silence of these Republican leaders in response to Trump's recent measures.

"Marco Rubio, María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Giménez, and Mario Díaz-Balart have turned their backs on us," stated Abel S. Delgado, president of the caucus.

"Instead of defending our families, they have remained silent while immigrant communities are attacked, detained, and deported."

The advertising campaign comes at a time when President Trump has reactivated extreme measures for immigration control, including the use of an old war law to send hundreds of suspected gang members to a prison in El Salvador.

Additionally, more than half a million migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela are facing the loss of their legal status following the announcement that parole programs will be eliminated and TPS will be restricted, as part of a systematic effort to dismantle the immigration protections established during the Biden administration.

The caucus specifically targets María Elvira Salazar, accusing her of attributing the extension of TPS for Venezuelans to the Trump administration, a measure that, according to the Democratic bloc, was ordered by a court, not promoted by Republican lawmakers.

“This victory belongs to the defenders of immigrant rights, to legal advocates and the federal judicial system, not to the politicians who enable the attacks,” expressed María Corina Vegas, a member of the caucus board.

Vegas did not hold back: "This 'Band of Four' lies and betrays a community that trusted them. As a Venezuelan-American who watched my country fall into dictatorship, I see the warning signs. Their complicity is shameful."

In response, Salazar declared to the Miami Herald, through his spokesperson: “No one in the United States Congress has fought harder than I have for Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans fleeing from the dictatorship. This is cheap propaganda in the style of Castro.”

For their part, the spokespeople for Carlos Giménez, Mario Díaz-Balart, and Marco Rubio did not respond to the requests for comments made by the cited portal.

It is not the first time that a billboard has stirred controversy in South Florida politics. During the last presidential campaign, a billboard in Miami compared Trump to Fidel Castro, which sparked outrage among his supporters. That one was removed days later, following a direct complaint from Salazar to the advertising company.

The Hispanic Democratic Caucus of Miami-Dade asserts that this is only the first phase of a campaign aimed at mobilizing the Hispanic electorate of the county, in an area where Republicans have gained ground in recent years.

Although details have not been provided, they promise that the strategy will go beyond highway advertising, emphasized El Nuevo Herald.

Frequently asked questions about the controversial billboard in Miami and its impact on the Cuban-American community