Speaking an event hosted by the conservative nonprofit FreedomWorks, Rafael Cruz described President Barack Obama as being “just like a dictator like Fidel Castro.”
The Cuban-born father of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz spoke at length about his life in Cuba, his experiences with socialism and authoritarianism, and the false promises of dictators. Cruz told the crowd of tea party supporters, “as a teenager I found myself involved in a revolution. I remember during that time, a young charismatic leader rose up talking about ‘hope and change.'” As the crowd laughed, Cruz threw them a curve ball: “His name was Fidel Castro.”
Rafael Cruz then drew comparisons between policies of Castro and Obama, stating, “That same man who had been talking before about hope and change, now was talking about how the rich are evil, about how they oppress the people, and about the need to redistribute the wealth. He began attacking the press, curtail freedom of the press, attacking religion, confiscating property. Then he began instituting socialized medicine, and imposing wage-and-price controls. Basically reducing everybody’s salary to a least common denominator.”
He then became more specific, saying, “I think the most ominous words I’ve ever heard was in the last two State of the Union addresses, when our president said, ‘If Congress does not act, I will act unilaterally.’ Not much different than that old bearded friend that I left behind in Cuba. Government by decree, by executive order, just like a dictator — like Fidel Castro.”
Later, Cruz urged the crowd to fight back, saying, “When I faced oppression in Cuba, I had a place to come to. If we lose our freedoms here, where are we going to go?’ There is no place to go.”
Rafael Cruz added that the Obama administration had compelled him to “remain silent no more.”
“I feel so offended when our president goes around the world apologizing for America and negating our American exceptionalism,” he said. “But the truth is, this country is exceptional and unique in the world… And you know, when we see the intrusion on our liberties; when we see — whether it is looking at our emails, or listening to our telephone calls — or we see the IRS targeting tea party groups — freedom-loving groups — for their political ideology, I say we can remain silent no more. Silent no more.”
Cruz also discussed his love for “freedom fighters like Glenn Beck,” who he describes as “like a modern John the Baptist.”
