Ybeth Bruzual
Spectrum News Anchor

Russian warships in the Caribbean

Four Russian warships and a nuclear-powered submarine will be arriving in Cuba next week, just 90 miles from the Florida Keys.

I check Cuban Communist government social media weekly, just as I do with Venezuela and so many others, to see what they are up to.

This REALLY caught my eye because Cuban government social media handlers typically post EVERYTHING in Spanish, but this time, they had this information in English about the impending arrival of Russians on the island nation to visit their Cuban comrades. From the press release linked to their X post, it’s going to be quite the arrival.

“...Upon their arrival at the port of Havana, a 21-gun salute will be shot from one of the vessels of the naval group to greet the nation, which will be reciprocated by an artillery battery of the Revolutionary Armed Forces positioned at the “San Carlos de la Cabaña” Fortress." says the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces via a message posted on X

REASON FOR CONCERN?

Cuba says, “None of these vessels carries nuclear weapons. Therefore, their stop-over in our country does not represent any threat to the region.”

As of Friday afternoon, there has been no comment from the Biden Administration on this.

This feels like Russia is flexing its muscles. The Russian arrival on Cuban shores comes amid rising tensions between Russia and the U.S. over Ukraine. Could this chip away at a small gain President Joe Biden seems to be making in a recent poll showing his numbers are up against former President Trump in Florida where so many Cubans now call home? I can almost guarantee this will not sit well with many Latinos in Florida, not only Cubans. Many who have left oppressive regimes to live in America in search of freedom.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RELAXES SANCTIONS ON CUBA.

Less than two weeks ago, on May 28, the U.S. announced it is relaxing some economic sanctions against the Communist island to allow a “freer society.” and let private business owners in Cuba to access U.S. banks and online banking systems. This has not happened since the 1960s.

Stay tuned.

The Russians are expected to arrive in Cuba on June 12, and depart on June 17.

Holly Gregory
Spectrum News Anchor

DeSantis vetoes hemp bill

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a veto. Gov. Ron DeSantis rejected the bill that would have banned delta-8 and other hemp products. The governor’s office received thousands of calls and letter asking him to veto Senate Bill 1698. Late Friday, they got the news they were hoping to get. It’s good for them and it’s also good for the governor. I’ll explain.

In his letter, DeSantis said the bill would “impose debilitating regulatory burdens on small business” and that would harm retail and manufacturing businesses in Florida. He did encourage the Legislature to revisit the hemp bill next session to set up a framework for Florida’s hemp market.

The governor said he could support “sensible” guidelines to “root out bad actors” to safeguard public health and safety while allowing the legitimate industry to flourish. DeSantis also said he would support putting hemp products behind the counter and keeping shops aways from places like schools and churches.

We interviewed several people opposed to the hemp bill. Some were worried that it would affect CBD sales, which doesn’t have a psychoactive effect. Others opposed were regular users of delta 8, which is sometimes called Diet Weed. It does have a “high” effect. Some users of delta-8 prefer it to marijuana because the “high” sensation is not as intense.

I think there is another impact of this veto. It may make it more likely that the November ballot initiative on recreational weed will fail. Now all the small business owners and employees in the delta-8 business have an incentive to vote against it.

If Floridians continue to not be able to get legal recreational pot, they are more likely to settle for what is available to get high. That would be delta 8.

The benefit of this veto is two-fold for DeSantis. He gets to tout helping small business publicly, while at the same time quietly gaining an advantage toward killing Amendment 3. That’s a win-win for him.

Jason Delgado
Spectrum News Reporter

Morgan takes on local Republican

Hi, Central Florida!

Keep your eyes on State Rep. Tom Leek.

The Ormond Beach Republican is a longtime lawmaker in the House. A productive one too.

But now, he’s found himself in the crosshairs of one of America’s most prominent attorneys: John Morgan.

Morgan is all over X, rebuking Leek, who he calls “Leech.”

In Morgan’s words: “I’m for the people, he is f*ck the people.”

What’s interesting here isn’t necessarily the beef, but the officials that are rushing to Leek’s side after the spat. Leek has raked in endorsements including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody.

In a nutshell: what once was an otherwise unremarkable race no involves some of Florida’s most power leaders and one of the nation’s most prominent attorneys who boasts a list of political wins.

Ya’ll, grab the popcorn.