Venezuelan, Cuban hard-liners urge regime change as Trump equivocates

Venezuelan and Cuban democracy activists called for regime change at the Heritage Foundation's inaugural Miami Security Conference last week, while President Trump has signaled openness to working with existing autocratic leaders rather than pushing for democratic transitions. The appeal from these exiled hardliners reflects a strategic disconnect: Trump administration officials have traditionally cultivated relationships with authoritarian figures in Latin America, prioritizing stability and U.S. interests over pro-democracy movements. The competing approaches highlight tension between longtime anti-communist activists in South Florida and Trump's transactional foreign policy, which emphasizes pragmatic engagement with incumbent regimes. The conference brought together pro-Trump figures and policy advocates in a region with significant Venezuelan and Cuban exile populations whose support is crucial for Republican electoral performance. The episode underscores how Trump's second-term foreign policy toward the region may diverge from the hawkish anti-Castro, anti-Maduro positions that historically defined Republican politics in Florida.