Duval Times

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, ahead of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York next month, Senator Rick Scott led Senators Tom Cotton, Joni Ernst, Marco Rubio, and Markwayne Mullin in a letter to President Biden urging him to deny visas to leaders from Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela. The Senators stated that the United States must prevent the UN General Assembly from becoming a platform for these leaders to gain credibility and promote views that pose significant threats to national security.

The letter addressed to President Biden reads:

"Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to express our grave concerns about the potential attendance of multiple individuals who are a threat to U.S. national security at the upcoming United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York City this September. The presence of several global leaders at this assembly would raise serious security issues for the United States and our allies. Specifically, the participation of Khamenei-installed President Masoud Pezeshkian, Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel, and the narco-dictator of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro.

As Iran wages a proxy war and seeks to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, newly installed Iranian President Pezeshkian has publicly vowed to continue his predecessor, the ‘Butcher of Tehran’s’ policies of targeting Israel and the United States. Iran is directly responsible for the horrific October 7th attack on Israel and the recent rocket strikes that killed a dozen innocent Israelis, including children, at a soccer field in the Golan Heights. Iran-backed militants also recently carried out an attack on U.S. service members stationed at Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, severely injuring five Americans. In total, Iran-backed militants in the Middle East have killed three American servicemembers and injured nearly 200 since October 7.

Cuba’s Díaz-Canel, who inherited and has maintained the Castro dictatorship and brutal oppression of the Cuban people, has a decades-long history of threatening America and hosting her worst enemies, including allowing Communist China to build a spy base 90-miles from the U.S. and recently hosting military exercises with Russia that brought nuclear-power Russian submarines just miles off Florida’s coast.

Venezuela’s Maduro, who is actively attempting to steal an election from the Venezuelan people and jailing his political opponents to maintain his illegitimate grip on power, has opened his country to America’s enemies like Iran, Russia and Communist China. Maduro’s extensive background of human rights abuses has caused millions to flee his country, fueling the illegal immigration crisis on the U.S. southern border and pushing scores of dangerous criminals into our country where several have been charged with heinous crimes including murder and rape against innocent American civilians.

While the UN General Assembly is a forum for diplomatic negotiations and dialogue, the United States has historically taken principled stands against welcoming foreign leaders who threaten our values and interests to participate in this event on our soil. For instance, President Ronald Reagan denied a visa to Yasser Arafat in 1988 due to his support for state-sponsored terrorism; similarly President Trump denied a visa to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. In this spirit we urge you to deny entry visas to dictators Pezeshkian Díaz-Canel Maduro and any other leaders whose presence at UN General Assembly would undermine our national security.

The United States must prevent UN General Assembly from becoming stage for most evil leaders on Earth gain credibility promote their dangerous views pose significant threats national security United States allies Denying entry dictators madmen reaffirm commitment upholding principles freedom democracy sending clear message stand firmly against oppressive regimes threaten national security."