Following a tour of the airport’s security measures given to a Cuban delegation, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued an apology to Miami, Florida authorities.
The United States has blacklisted Cuba as a state supporter of terrorism because of its communist government, which makes giving them access to critical security data and infrastructure very contentious.
Critics, notably Cubans living in the Miami region, have pointed out that Cuba is not your average country after the TSA’s earlier defense of the trip as a common practice offered to many countries. It is an officially recognized state funder and promoter of terrorism.
Officials from the airport, Miami-Dade County, and the mayor of Miami were reportedly met with by the agency to discuss the botched visit.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expressed regret that the visit had not been pre-arranged and discussed with the relevant airport and county authorities. The agency pledged to improve its coordination procedures for future delegation trips.
TSA boasted of its partnerships with every nation offering direct flights into the US and said that Cubans had visited in the past, including one in 2018.
A news outlet initially reported on the trip, which indicated that sensitive equipment, including modern X-ray technology, and other areas were shown to the Cubans.
However, the TSA claimed that the delegation was not given access to critical systems or technology.
According to Emilio Gonzalez, the airport’s previous CEO, inviting Cuba was a huge mistake. No sane government official would provide their stamp of approval unless they had absolute cover from the top. Nobody wants a nation that supports terrorism to visit any facility, much less a critical airport like Miami International Airport.
Giving Cuban dignitaries a security tour was seen as disrespectful by Miami’s sizable Cuban diaspora population, who fled the Castro regime’s repressive rule.
According to Mr. Gonzalez, who was also the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Bush administration, the group could have had the opportunity to observe and take note of the airport’s layout and personnel.
