De Blasio Torched for Quoting Che Guevara at FL Rally: Broke the ‘Most Obvious Rule’ of Miami Politics
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, coming off a surprisingly good night at the Democratic debate on Wednesday, may have squandered any momentum he’d generated by quoting Che Guevara at a rally in Miami.
“Hasta la victoria siempre…”
Says Bill De Blasio in *Miami* pic.twitter.com/fAc2Wds5YD— liz roldan (@lizroldancbs4) June 27, 2019
The New York mayor shouted “Hasta la victoria siempre!” to a crowd of striking Miami airport workers Thursday. The phrase translates to “Until victory, always!” and was frequently employed during the 1959 Cuban Revolution.
A number of Miami residents are refugees from the revolution that installed Fidel Castro as the leader of Cuba.
Twitter users quickly pounced on de Blasio’s use of the phrase, including Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala, a Florida congresswoman and former President Bill Clinton’s Health and Human Services Secretary.
It is unacceptable to quote a murderer like Che Guevara, especially in Miami, where so many people have suffered as a result of his brutality. The @iflyMIA workers protesting for better conditions deserve our strong support, but their efforts should never be tied to that murderer https://t.co/VBsGcudToA
— Rep. Donna E. Shalala (@RepShalala) June 27, 2019
Shalala said “it is unacceptable to quote a murderer like Che Guevara, especially in Miami.”
A number of other observers also attacked de Blasio’s lack of awareness in quoting Guevara in Miami.
“de Blasio broke the literal most-obvious rule of Miami politicking: Don’t quote Che Guevara” https://t.co/UkWPNAkkVY
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) June 27, 2019
The GOP wants to cast Democrats as radical Socialists during the Miami prez debates
So @BilldeBlasio comes to Miami and quotes … Che Guevara https://t.co/IteYcIjhBL
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) June 27, 2019
Bill DeBlasio went to a rally at the #Miami airport today & ended his speech by quoting from the murderous Che Guevara’s farewell letter to Fidel Castro.
But how dare anyone call him or any democrat candidate a socialist. https://t.co/IjIOTSI9GV
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 27, 2019
In case there was any doubt about the Democrats running for President embracing socialism, @BilldeBlasio is in Miami quoting…Che Guevara.
You can’t make this up. https://t.co/y0Z7bfKgbC
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) June 27, 2019
“Does he really know who Che Guevara was?” asked Félix Rodríguez, a Bay of Pigs veteran who helped the Bolivian army capture Guevara. “I don’t think so. If he does, he’s a f****ing a**hole.”https://t.co/n6mf0I2T80
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) June 27, 2019
Aide: Alright, so there’s this thing about Miami.
Bill de Blasio: Don’t worry I got this
Aide: Yeah, but it’s import—
BdB: Chill out, the workers get me
Aide: OK please just make sure you don’t — https://t.co/ajDg5geNF1
— CJ Ciaramella (@cjciaramella) June 27, 2019
Bill de Blasio thought it would be a good idea to fire up a Miami rally crowd today with a Che Guevara quote https://t.co/i3F2wc4RrA
— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) June 27, 2019
How’s it going for @BilldeBlasio hours after his nationally-televised debate?
“Before giving up the microphone to the next speaker, de Blasio blurted a quote from one of the most hated historical figures throughout Miami: ‘Hasta la victoria siempre!'” https://t.co/b2E83P1D3L— katie honan (@katie_honan) June 27, 2019
This would be a disaster if de Blasio was running for President and not just touring America on an extended road trip. https://t.co/yx88Vry48y
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) June 27, 2019
UPDATE: Bill de Blasio apologized Thursday, saying he didn’t know the phrase was associated with Guevara.
I did not know the phrase I used in Miami today was associated with Che Guevara & I did not mean to offend anyone who heard it that way. I certainly apologize for not understanding that history. (1/2)
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) June 27, 2019
I only meant it as a literal message to the striking airport workers that I believed they would be victorious in their strike- BdB. (2/2)
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) June 27, 2019
[Image via screengrab]
