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U.S. Rep. Carlos Gim\u00e9nez, R-Miami, speaks during a press conference about developments in Cuba at the Fairways Restaurant at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla., on Monday, March 16, 2026. Gimenez addressed nationwide protests in Cuba, the Cuban government’s announced economic reforms and potential next steps for U.S. policy.<\/p>\n
Alexia Fodere<\/p>\n
For Miami Herald<\/p>\n
After Cuba\u2019s deputy prime minister said Monday Cubans in Miami and elsewhere will be able to invest and own businesses on the island, one of Miami\u2019s Cuban U.S. House members said anyone who intends to invest with the regime before political change \u201cis insane.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re insane, go ahead and invest in Cuba,\u201d said Rep. Carlos Gim\u00e9nez, one of three Cuban GOP House members who represent South Florida and who spoke at a news conference Monday at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. \u201cYou need political change before you can have economic change.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Havana will allow Cubans in Miami, elsewhere to own businesses, trade minister says<\/a><\/p>\n Gim\u00e9nez is the sole Cuban-born member of the 119th Congress and represents parts of Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. He called the press conference in response to news of economic opening<\/a> and reports of an islandwide blackout.<\/p>\n South Florida Cubans or any Cuban exiles should not invest in business on the island, Gim\u00e9nez said, adding the current regime cannot be trusted financially or otherwise.<\/p>\n \u201cThey happen to be leading a government,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re thieves. They\u2019re ordinary thieves, and they are there just to enrich themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Cuba used to be the jewel of the Caribbean, but the standard of living is now lower than Haiti due to its communist regime, Gim\u00e9nez said. The government \u201cbasically destroyed the island, and they destroyed the people, too.\u201d<\/p>\n In response to the 10 men who had been aboard a Florida-registered boat that Cuban authorities accused of being terrorists, Gim\u00e9nez said he hopes President Donald Trump will not tolerate their persecution and murders.<\/p>\n Pavel Alling Pe\u00f1a, Michael Ortega Casanova, Ledi\u00e1n Padr\u00f3n Guevara, H\u00e9ctor Duani Cruz Correa and Roberto \u00c1lvarez \u00c1vila died as a result of the Feb. 25 confrontation when the men on board opened fire,<\/a> striking a coast guard commander and leading to the firefight, according to Cuban officials. The boat took off from Marathon in the Florida Keys.<\/p>\n Amijail S\u00e1nchez Gonz\u00e1lez, Leonardo Enrique Cruz G\u00f3mez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, Jos\u00e9 Manuel Rodr\u00edguez Castell\u00f3 and Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara were detained and charged with terrorism.<\/p>\n With Cuba\u2019s economic crisis worsening, there are a growing number of demonstations of Cuban people being \u201cbolder and bolder\u201d because they are \u201cfed up\u201d about not having access to food, medicine and electricity, Gim\u00e9nez said.<\/p>\n