Bill de Blasio Apologizes for Quoting Che Guevara at Miami Airport Rally
“Hasta la victoria siempre,” de Blasio said, invoking the controversial communist revolutionary.
Joe Raedle/Getty
New York Mayor and 2020 contender Bill de Blasio apologized after quoting Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara at a rally in Miami on Thursday. “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,” de Blasio wrote in a series of tweets Thursday. “I only meant it as a literal message to the striking airport workers that I believed they would be victorious in their strike.” During the rally, de Blasio said “hasta la victoria siempre”—a rallying cry used by Guevara. Miami has a large population of Cubans, and Guevara is considered a controversial figure because he was an aide to Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro and was involved in executing those considered traitors, war criminals, or informants. Terrie Rizzo, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, tweeted that “Mayor Bill DeBlasio does not speak for Floridians or the Florida Democratic Party and he would be wise to apologize.”
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
“The eyes of the world are on Miami-Dade and on this airport.” -De Blasio.
— Taylor Dolven (@taydolven) June 27, 2019
Followed that up by “Hasta la victoria siempre!” (famous Che Guevara quote) pic.twitter.com/vabGaueE43
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