Miami-Dade County officials expressed their outrage on Tuesday after a Cuban government delegation toured security areas of Miami International Airport.
Five members of the Cuban government spent five hours at the airport on Monday and were shown two areas, including a security checkpoint and a baggage screening area.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HERE
MORE ON CUBA
The tour drew bipartisan outrage from local officials including Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who said the delegation was invited to visit the Transportation Security Administration facilities without consulting county authorities.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
“The decision to allow Cuban officials to tour secure areas at MIA was made without the knowledge of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) and occurred during the celebration of Cuban Independence Day, a date when we reaffirm our commitment to freedom and democracy in Cuba against a brutal dictatorship,” said Levine Cava in a statement. “My office has reached out directly to the Department of Homeland Security to understand how this decision was made and to request that the county and MDAD be included in any future decision related to granting access to MIA facilities to foreign government officials."
The director of the airport also said he didn't know about the visit, and said he told top TSA officials how displeased he was by the visit.
The visit occurred nearly a week after the United States removed Cuba from a list of countries that do not fully cooperate in the fight against terrorism.
"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) routinely works with all countries with direct flights to the United States. TSA hosts government officials and members of the aviation community at U.S. airports to foster a strong global aviation security posture," the TSA said in a statement Tuesday. "U.S. and Cuban authorities jointly manage the airspace between Cuba and the United States and ensure the safety and security of travelers using our airports. The Republic of Cuba has six last point of departure airports with direct flights to the United States, and accordingly TSA continually works to strengthen the security framework with Cuba and other Caribbean nations."
The decision marks a tepid yet symbolically significant move by the Biden administration, which has largely maintained Trump-era restrictions thus far.
NBC6 reached out to the Cuban government in Washington for a statement.
"This visit is nothing new and aligns with bilateral cooperation that has historically existed between U.S. and Cuban officials when it comes to aviation security. As part of the exchange, members of the TSA have also regularly traveled to Cuban airports," said Press Advisor Abel Derivet.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera described the visit by "Cuban communists" as "an incredibly reckless act."
"This situation is yet another example of an insensitive administration being manipulated by Cuban communists for a propaganda victory," Cabrera said. "The administration’s decision not only endangers all Americans and disrespects those who defend us, but also serves as a slap in the face to all Cubans suffering under a tyrannical and criminal communist regime. Simply unacceptable!"
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz also expressed concern over the Cuban regime delegation's visit.
“My office has reached out to the Administration to seek clarification on this decision and information on any security measures that were taken to protect the integrity of our Homeland Security protocols," Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. "I’ve repeatedly raised the alarm about threats posed to Floridians and U.S. national security by Cuban intelligence and their Kremlin and Chinese Communist Party collaborators. I understand the importance of diplomatic conversations and I have urged the Administration to insist on the release of Cuban political prisoners like Maykel Castillo Peréz and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara as a precondition to further engagement. We have a sacred obligation to protect Cuban-Americans and all Americans from transnational surveillance, repression, and violence, as well as to uplift the voices of pro-democracy Cubans suffering under the cruelty of the regime."
