Sanders Defends Past Praise of Cuban Tyrant Fidel Castro

2020 Democrat presidential contender Bernie Sanders is catching major heat for his defense of past comments concerning the policies of the late Cuban strongman Fidel Castro.

On social media, Sanders received bipartisan criticism.

After a clip of Sanders praising the Cuban regime in 1986 surfaced, Sanders said during a CBS News “60 Minutes” interview that “We’re very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad. You know?”

Sanders added, “When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”

Sanders then tried to shift conversation back to President Donald Trump, when he said, “Unlike Donald Trump … I do not think that Kim Jong Un is a good friend. I don’t trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin, not a great friend of mine.”

The 2020 Democrat candidate’s remarks on CBS News were sharply criticized by a number of elected officials.  Florida Senator Marco Rubio called Sanders “wrong.”

Texas Senator Ted Cruz Tweeted on Sunday, February 23, 2020, “It really makes a difference when those you murder at the firing squad can read [and] write.”

Florida Congresswoman Donna Shalala 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.”

The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist was victorious in last weekend’s Nevada caucuses and is the favorite to win the Democrat nomination.