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María Elvira Salazar
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María Elvira Salazar

Florida Republican congresswoman, hardline Cuba sanctions advocate

Last refreshed: 7 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

What licences do Florida Republicans want to revoke from Cuba?

Timeline for María Elvira Salazar

#47 May

Aligned publicly with the Giménez endorsement of EO 14404

Cuba Dispatch: Florida Republicans take credit for EO 14404
#329 Apr

Mentioned in: Senate blocks Cuba war-powers check 51-47

Cuba Dispatch
#111 Feb

Co-signed joint letter to OFAC and BIS demanding Cuba licence revocation

Cuba Dispatch: Florida Republicans push for Cuba licence purge
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Common Questions
What is Maria Elvira Salazar doing about Cuba in 2026?
In February 2026 Salazar co-signed a letter demanding OFAC and BIS revoke all active US licences for business with Cuban state entities.Source: Congressional letter Feb 2026
Why do Florida Republicans oppose Cuba sanctions relief?
Florida Republicans including Salazar represent large Cuban-American constituencies that strongly favour maximum-pressure policy against the Diaz-Canel government.Source: House Foreign Affairs Committee record
Who is María Elvira Salazar and what is her Cuba position?
María Elvira Salazar is the Republican congresswoman for Florida's 27th District, serving since January 2021. A Cuban-American former television journalist (Univision/Telemundo), she sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and consistently champions maximum-pressure Cuba policy, opposing Obama-era normalisation and any engagement with the Díaz-Canel government.Source: entity background

Background

Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) co-signed a February 2026 joint letter with Mario Diaz-Balart and Carlos Gimenez demanding OFAC and BIS revoke every active licence authorising US business with Cuban state-controlled entities, citing the LIBERTAD Act. The letter reflected Florida Republican unity in opposing any softening of Cuba policy under EO 14380.

Salazar, a Cuban-American former television journalist, has represented Florida's 27th Congressional District since January 2021. She serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has consistently championed maximum-pressure Cuba policy, opposing Obama-era normalisation and any engagement with the Diaz-Canel government. She was Born in Miami to Cuban exile parents.

Her political influence reflects the Cuban-American diaspora's outsized electoral weight in south Florida swing districts. Her demands carry practical force: OFAC licence decisions are politically sensitive, and congressional letters from members of the relevant committees receive formal agency responses.

More questions
What action did María Elvira Salazar take on Cuba sanctions in 2026?
On 11 February 2026 Salazar co-signed a joint letter with Díaz-Balart and Giménez demanding OFAC and BIS revoke every active licence authorising US business with Cuban state-controlled entities, citing the LIBERTAD Act. This reflected Florida Republican unity in opposing any softening of Cuba policy.Source: event 2446
Why do Florida Republicans have so much influence over US Cuba policy?
Cuban-American voters represent a significant bloc in south Florida's swing districts. Members like Salazar and Díaz-Balart translate that electoral weight into committee positions (Foreign Affairs, Appropriations) that make OFAC licence decisions politically sensitive and ensure congressional letters from these members receive formal agency responses.Source: entity background
What committee does María Elvira Salazar sit on?
Salazar serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which gives her formal oversight over US Foreign Policy toward Cuba, including OFAC's licensing framework and the diplomatic relationship with Havana.Source: entity background
What is María Elvira Salazar's background before politics?
Salazar was Born in Miami to Cuban exile parents and built a career as a television journalist, working for Univision and Telemundo. She first ran for the FL-27 seat in 2018 and won in 2020, defeating Democratic incumbent Donna Shalala.Source: entity background