Bill de Blasio Apologizes for Quoting Che Guevara
Jose Nino
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New York Mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio recently apologized for reciting a Che Guevara quote.
On video before a crowd of union members in Miami, de Blasio was caught yelling, “Hasta la victoria, siempre!” which is the Spanish translation for “Until victory, always!”
“Hasta la victoria siempre…”
Says Bill De Blasio in *Miami* pic.twitter.com/fAc2Wds5YD— liz roldan (@lizroldanTX) June 27, 2019
As he spoke to the crowd of striking airport workers, de Blasio added, “We will be with you every step of the way.”
This was the iconic slogan of Communist guerilla leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara.
De Blasio was forced to apologize for his remarks, which he highlighted on his twitter. He claims that he did not know that the phrase he used “was associated with Che Guevara” and “did not mean to offend anyone who heard it that way.”
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
However, Florida Senator Marco Rubio was not buying it.
Rubio tweeted: “De Blasio studied Latin American politics in college, was a very active supporter of the Sandinistas in #Nicaragua & even honeymooned in #Cuba in violation of U.S. law. But he had NO IDEA he was quoting Che Guevara today. It was all just an incredible coincidence.”
De Blasio studied Latin American politics in college,was a very active supporter of the Sandinistas in #Nicaragua & even honeymooned in #Cuba in violation of U.S. law.
But he had NO IDEA he was quoting Che Guevara today.
It was all just an incredible coincidence.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 27, 2019
The New York Mayor was also criticized by Democratic congresswoman Donna E. Shalala who tweeted that de Blasio’s statement was “unacceptable” and noted the irony of de Blasio using it in Miami, a city with a large Cuban community.
https://twitter.com/RepShalala/status/1144343697947074560
For once, Democrats and Republicans came together in condemning someone who casually uses phrases from a brutal murderer.
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