Socialist Bernie Sanders, the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic nomination for president, faced widespread backlash late on Sunday night over positive remarks that he made about murderous Cuban communist dictator Fidel Castro.
Sanders made the disturbing remarks on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” with host Anderson Cooper when Cooper pressed him about positive remarks that he had made about brutal communist regimes in the past.
“You know? When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did?” Sanders said. “He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”
Sanders’ claim that Castro “came into office” lacks the historical context that Castro was essentially a terrorist who attacked Cuba’s government; he did not win in an election. Sanders’ claim that Castro had a “massive literacy program” is communist propaganda, a point that many critics hit Sanders on in response to his pro-communist remarks.
Among those who fired back at Sanders were people on the political left — including politicians and people who appear on CNN and MSNBC — as well as Republican senators and conservative political commentators.
Left-wing CNN commentator Ana Navarro tweeted: “Castro regime’s been in power in Cuba for +60 yrs w/o free elections. They’ve killed, jailed, tortured thousands. They confiscated assets, expelled priests & nuns… And let’s be clear, Cubans weren’t exactly communicating by grunts. Most knew how to read.”
Castro regime’s been in power in Cuba for +60 yrs w/o free elections. They’ve killed, jailed, tortured thousands. They confiscated assets, expelled priests & nuns… And let’s be clear, Cubans weren’t exactly communicating by grunts. Most knew how to read. pic.twitter.com/kKGM66a8ci
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) February 24, 2020
Navarro added, “I was in 2nd Grade when Sandinistas came to power in Nicaragua. They adopted Cuban education model. The books/curriculum taught ideological indoctrination. Children had to recite communist, revolutionary, anti-American slogans. That’s how communist teach people to read and write.”
I was in 2nd Grade when Sandinistas came to power in Nicaragua. They adopted Cuban education model. The books/curriculum taught ideological indoctrination. Children had to recite communist, revolutionary, anti-American slogans. That’s how communist teach people to read and write.
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) February 24, 2020
Left-wing MSNBC frequent guest Fernand Amandi tweeted out a series of videos showing Sanders’ repeated praise for communist leaders.
Amandi tweeted, “Here’s avowed socialist @BernieSanders talking about how President Kennedy made him ‘want to puke’ because JFK stood up to and condemned Fidel Castro’s tyrannical totalitarian regime in Cuba”
Here’s avowed socialist @BernieSanders talking about how President Kennedy made him “want to puke” because JFK stood up to and condemned Fidel Castro’s tyrannical totalitarian regime in Cuba👇🏼pic.twitter.com/qHXTea08Zp
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) February 24, 2020
Amandi continued, “Here is @BernieSanders TONIGHT defending Fidel Castro’s murderous totalitarian Communist regime in Cuba. Democrats, nominating this man will absolutely re-elect @realDonaldTrump and end our Constitutional republic.”
Here is @BernieSanders TONIGHT defending Fidel Castro’s murderous totalitarian Communist regime in Cuba
Democrats, nominating this man will absolutely re-elect @realDonaldTrump and end our Constitutional republic. pic.twitter.com/vAJX2ffbSQ
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) February 24, 2020
Amandi added, “Here’s a compilation clip of avowed socialist @BernieSanders talking about ‘how impressed he is,’ with Fidel Castro’s murderous, communist totalitarian regime in Cuba”
Here’s a compilation clip of avowed socialist @BernieSanders talking about “how impressed he is,” with Fidel Castro’s murderous, communist totalitarian regime in Cuba👇🏼pic.twitter.com/5xXsXqpeEW
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) February 24, 2020
Miami Herald reporter David Smiley wrote: “That’s the sound of Bernie’s Latino voter wave crashing on the shores of Miami”
That’s the sound of Bernie’s Latino voter wave crashing on the shores of Miami https://t.co/FwN64IOlY7
— David Smiley (@NewsbySmiley) February 24, 2020
Former Obama White House staffer Christopher Hale wrote: “Fidel Castro was a dictator and a tyrant. He spent his regime murdering dissidents, imprisoning gay people, separating families from each other, banning the free and open practice of religion, and bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. He’s not worthy of praise.”
Fidel Castro was a dictator and a tyrant. He spent his regime murdering dissidents, imprisoning gay people, separating families from each other, banning the free and open practice of religion, and bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.
He’s not worthy of praise.
— Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) February 24, 2020
Statistician Josh Jordan responded: “On the same day that Bernie Sanders welcomed an endorsement from anti-Vaxxer Marianne Williamson, he’s got a 60 Minutes interview where he praises Castro’s indoctrination… I mean ‘literacy program.’ I can’t wait to see how this plays with swing voters come November.”
On the same day that Bernie Sanders welcomed an endorsement from anti-Vaxxer Marianne Williamson, he's got a 60 Minutes interview where he praises Castro's indoctrination… I mean "literacy program."
I can't wait to see how this plays with swing voters come November. https://t.co/aABSiAspDo
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) February 24, 2020
Leftist Democrat Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, who is highly political and hates the Second Amendment, responded, “For the record @BernieSanders, Fidel & Raul Castro, their murdering regime, & co-conspirators have never had a redeeming quality, ZERO. They worked on literacy programs in a State that controls everything available for reading, in essence, literacy was a path to indoctrination.”
“I remember my high school history teacher trying to feed us the literacy achievement line,” Acevedo continued. “My response to him was I would rather be unread than to spend a lifetime reading the communist/socialists propaganda the Cuban government provided.”
I remember my high school history teacher trying to feed us the literacy achievement line. My response to him was I would rather be unread than to spend a lifetime reading the communist/socialists propaganda the Cuban government provided.
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) February 24, 2020
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), whose father is from Cuba, responded, “It really makes a difference when those you murder at the firing squad can read & write.”
It really makes a difference when those you murder at the firing squad can read & write. https://t.co/4DKbSKpI6t
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 24, 2020
Political strategist Rory Cooper responded, “Say goodbye to Florida. And prepare to spend money in New Jersey. If he’s the nominee.”
Say goodbye to Florida. And prepare to spend money in New Jersey. If he’s the nominee. https://t.co/SgGActS5L7
— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) February 24, 2020
Democrat Rep. Donna Shalala (FL) tweeted: “I’m hoping that in the future, Senator Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro.”
I'm hoping that in the future, Senator Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro. https://t.co/Iwvmay9LOH pic.twitter.com/KT9sQ0pfkh
— Donna E. Shalala (@DonnaShalala) February 24, 2020
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) tweeted: “Likely Dem nominee praised the supposed ‘achievements’ Castro regime.
And he’s wrong about why people didn’t overthrow Castro. It’s not because ‘he educated their kids,gave them health care’ it‘s because his opponents were jailed, murdered or exiled.”
Likely Dem nominee praised the supposed “achievements” Castro regime
And he’s wrong about why people didn’t overthrow Castro. It’s not because “he educated their kids,gave them health care” it‘s because his opponents were jailed,murdered or exiled https://t.co/6i41w7zcDe
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 24, 2020
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) tweeted: “Shameful ignorance from @SenSanders. The Castro regime has killed & imprisoned dissidents, oppressed its people and propped up murderous dictators like Maduro and Ortega.”
Shameful ignorance from @SenSanders.
The Castro regime has killed & imprisoned dissidents, oppressed its people and propped up murderous dictators like Maduro and Ortega. https://t.co/ROnmWT9oka
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 24, 2020