A resolution co-sponsored by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis is calling on the U.S. government to formally engage the Cuban exile community in discussions about the future of Cuba and to prepare South Florida for the possibility of political change on the island.
The measure, introduced by Juan Carlos Bermudez of the Miami-Dade County Commission, urges Donald J. Trump, Marco A. Rubio and the United States Congress to include members of the Cuban exile community in any federal deliberations regarding a potential transition in Cuba.
The resolution also calls for federal resources to be made available to South Florida local governments and exile organizations should a regime change occur in the Caribbean nation.
Milian Orbis said the exile community’s experience and leadership would be critical in helping guide any move toward democratic governance.
“For more than 60 years, the Cuban people have endured repression and hardship under a failed regime,” she said. “If change comes, the exile community must have a seat at the table. Their voices, their sacrifices, and their commitment to freedom matter.”
According to Milian Orbis, the resolution is intended to ensure that Miami-Dade County is prepared and supported at the federal level should a political transition take place in Cuba.
“Freedom is personal for our community,” she added. “We stand with the Cuban people and will continue advocating for a future defined by liberty and self-government.”
South Florida is home to one of the largest Cuban communities outside of Cuba, with an estimated 1.1 million Cubans and Cuban-Americans living across the region. The vast majority reside in Miami-Dade County, where roughly 926,000 to 940,000 people of Cuban origin live, making them one of the county’s most influential demographic groups.
Smaller but still significant populations live in Broward County, with about 120,000 to 127,000 residents of Cuban descent, and Palm Beach County, which has roughly 64,000. Together, the three counties form the core of the Cuban exile community in the United States and play a major role in shaping the cultural and political landscape of South Florida.
