>>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS, I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO, WELCOME.

TODAY, WE HAVE WITH US FORMER MEMBER OF CONGRESS, ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, WELCOME.

>>WELL, DAVID AND KATIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S A THRILL TO BE ON YOUR PROGRAM AND THE FIRST TIME FOR ME.

SO THANK YOU.

>>ILEANA, TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

IN A NUTSHELL, I KNOW THAT IT'S MORE THAN THREE DECADES OF SERVING IN CONGRESS, BUT TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR TRAJECTORY.

>>WELL, DAVID AND KATIE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE, THAT I WAS GOING TO END UP AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.

THERE WERE NO POLITICIANS IN MY FAMILY, THE DIAZ BALART FAMILY, ANOTHER WELL-KNOWN FAMILY HERE IN MIAMI, THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL POLITICAL PEDIGREE.

THEIR FATHER WAS VERY INVOLVED IN POLITICS IN CUBA AND THEIR GRANDFATHER.

I MEAN MANY GENERATIONS, BUT FOR ME, NOBODY HAD EVER RUN FOR OFFICE BEFORE.

I WASN'T EVEN INVOLVED IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT, I WISH I HAD BEEN.

BUT I WAS A TEACHER AND I HAD MY OWN PRIVATE SCHOOL IN HIALEAH.

I WAS HELPING THE PARENTS OF THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ENGLISH SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, THE LETTERS THEY WERE RECEIVING.

AND SOMEBODY SAID, "RATHER THAN JUST HELPING MARIA AND JOSE, YOU COULD RUN FOR OFFICE, SET THE POLICY AND HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE."

>>AND THAT PUT THE BUG IN ME AND MY DAD AND I SIGNED UP FOR A CAMPAIGN SCHOOL THAT THE GOP WAS DOING IN ORLANDO.

WE WENT THERE AND I WAS A GREAT CANDIDATE BECAUSE SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING WRONG, I DID JUST EXACTLY HOW THEY TAUGHT ME.

AND MY DAD WAS THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND HE DID JUST WHAT THEY SAID.

AND MY MOM WAS THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR.

SO WE WORKED HARD, KNOCKED ON A LOT OF DOORS, GOT ELECTED TO THE STATE HOUSE, THEN GOT ELECTED TO THE STATE SENATE AND THEN CLAUDE PEPPER PASSES AWAY, AND MY PASSION HAS BEEN FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

SO I LOVE THE STATE LEGISLATURE, BUT IT WAS MISSING THAT YEARNING FOR TO DISCUSS THE POLITICAL AND DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS AND ALL THOSE BIG ISSUES.

SO I RAN FOR CONGRESS AND SERVED THERE ALMOST 30 YEARS, INCREDIBLE.

>>SO YOU MENTIONED CLAUDE PEPPER AND OBVIOUSLY THE SHIFT FROM CLAUDE PEPPER TO ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN IS QUITE STARK.

AND THEN YOU WENT TO CONGRESS, WHICH IS AN INSTITUTION, LARGELY WHITE MEN WHEN YOU JOINED THE BODY.

YOU WERE ALSO THE FIRST HISPANIC WOMAN ELECTED FROM FLORIDA.

YOU WERE THE FIRST, A LOT OF THINGS, INCLUDING THE FIRST EVENTUALLY CHAIR OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

HOW HARD WAS IT FOR YOU TO BE A FIRST, IN SO MANY CASES, AND TO REALLY MAKE YOUR MARK AS A FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT IN CONGRESS?

>>WELL, I LIKE THE WAY THAT YOU FRAMED THAT QUESTION, DAVID, BECAUSE YOU'RE SO RIGHT.

AT THAT TIME, IT REALLY WAS UNUSUAL TO BE HISPANIC, TO BE FEMALE, AND TO BE YOUNGER THAN MOST OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE UP THERE.

NOW IT'S CHANGED A LOT.

AND THAT DEMOGRAPHIC IS PRETTY COMMON IN CONGRESS, BUT AT THAT TIME IT WAS KIND OF A JOLT TO THE SYSTEM, AND I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW QUITE WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND FOR A LONG TIME, I WAS THE ONLY WOMAN, REPUBLICAN WOMAN ON THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

AND THAT'S A SHAME.

SO I THINK THAT NOW THAT THE REPUBLICAN WOMEN ARE COMING INTO THEIR OWN, IT'S MORE COMMONPLACE.

CERTAINLY THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, BUT MY PARTY HAS GOT TO GET GOING INTO THIS CENTURY AND BE OF THE MOMENT, AND WE NEED TO RECRUIT MINORITY CANDIDATES AND HELP THEM WIN, SO WE'RE DOING THAT NOW, BUT AT THAT TIME, I THINK PEOPLE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH A HISPANIC REPUBLICAN WOMAN THAT WAS OUT OF THE NORM.

>>ILEANA, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OBSTACLES YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU HAD TO OVERCOME TO STAY IN THAT POSITION AND TO GROW.

>>WELL, KATIE, I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I WAS BORN IN CUBA AND BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAID, THE REASON I WANT TO GO TO CONGRESS IS BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP CUBA BECOME FREE, I WANT THEM TO HAVE FREE ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL PARTIES AND FREE THE POLITICAL PRISONERS.

SO PEOPLE JUST THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE DOING CUBA POLICY AND NOT ANYTHING ELSE.

SO I THINK ALWAYS YOU HAVE A STEREOTYPE AND PEOPLE TRY TO PIGEONHOLE YOU.

AND SO IT WAS TOUGH FOR ME TO HELP CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT I AM INTERESTED IN CUBA, BUT A LOT MORE, I'M INTERESTED IN ALL OF LATIN AMERICA.

I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

I WAS PROUD TO CHAIR THE AFRICA SUBCOMMITTEE BECAUSE I WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW, "HEY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES IN THE WORLD AND IT'S NOT JUST CUBA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST."

SO I ENJOYED THAT AS WELL.

AND ALL THE YEARS THAT I WAS IN CONGRESS, I STAYED ON THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND I WAS ALSO A FEW YEARS IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, AND THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

YOU GET TO FIND OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AROUND THE WORLD AND DOING THINGS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR DEMOCRACY AND TO HELP OUR ALLIES ABROAD AND DEFEAT OUR ENEMIES.

SO I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF SERVING IN CONGRESS.

AND I THINK THAT THE TOUGHEST THING WAS HAVING PEOPLE KNOW THAT I CARE ABOUT CUBA DEEPLY, BUT I CARE ABOUT OTHER ISSUES AS WELL, AND OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD.

>>WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO OF COURSE ASK YOU ABOUT CUBA AND CUBAN POLICY SINCE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

BUT I WANT TO START WITH YOU WERE A REPUBLICAN, WERE A MULTILATERALIST VERY MUCH SO.

WE'VE SHIFTED AWAY FROM THAT IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF THE US POSTURE INTERNATIONALLY?

>>BOY DAVID, YOU FRAMED THAT SO CORRECTLY.

IT'S BEEN A SHAME THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AROUND THE WORLD AND SEEING HOW WE CAN BUILD BRIDGES AND HOW WE CAN ESTABLISH MORE COALITIONS AND HAVE STRONGER ALLIES.

WHEN OUR NATION GETS STRONGER, IT BENEFITS THE UNITED STATES OF THAT COUNTRY AS AN ALLY.

SO WE'VE BECOME SO SELF-CENTERED, AND JUST LOOKING OUT FOR, "OKAY, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR LOT?"

AND NOT SEEING HOW IMPROVING OUR LOT, SHOULD ALSO BE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF EVERYONE ELSE.

AND IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM OUR EMPHASIS HERE.

I THINK THAT IT STRENGTHENS US AS A NATION TO BUILD THESE MULTINATIONAL ALLIANCES.

SO I HOPE THAT WE GET BACK TO THINKING THAT WAY.

AND I KNOW WHAT WAS IT CALLED, THE FOREVER WARS HAVE PUT A SOUR TASTE IN MANY AMERICANS.

AND SO WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO WANT TO PULL AWAY AND SAY, "YOU GUYS TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROBLEMS OVER THERE, AND WE'LL JUST BE IN OUR LITTLE CORNER."

BUT WE'RE A PART OF THE WORLD AND WE SHOULD EMBRACE THAT.

AND WE'RE THE LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF THAT.

>>ILEANA, YOU MENTIONED BUILDING BRIDGES.

AND I WONDER, DO YOU THINK THAT DURING THE TIME THAT OBAMA WAS IN THE ADMINISTRATION, DO YOU THINK THAT THERE WERE MORE BRIDGES BEING BUILT TO CUBA?

AND DO YOU ALSO BELIEVE IN BUILDING BRIDGES TO CUBA DESPITE THE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES THERE?

>>WELL, I BELIEVE IN BUILDING BRIDGES TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU BUILD BRIDGES TO CUBA, THE WAY THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS DOING IT, YOU BUILD BRIDGES TO THE CUBAN REGIME.

SO I MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HELPING THE CUBAN PEOPLE, WHICH I'M ALL FOR, AND WE SHOULD SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN IMPROVE ON THAT AND CUTTING OUT THE CUBAN REGIME, AND ALL THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA ENDED UP DOING WAS GIVING MORE STATURE TO RAUL CASTRO, BEING IN THAT BASEBALL STADIUM AND DOING THE WAVE WITH THE RAUL CASTRO, A PERSON WHOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JAILING AND THE MURDER OF SO MANY PEOPLE, THAT WAS A PRETTY DISGUSTING SCENE FOR ME AS A CUBAN-AMERICAN, BECAUSE WE SHOULDN'T NORMALIZE DICTATORSHIPS, AND THAT'S WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS DOING.

SO NOW WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT BIDEN, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT CHANGES HE WANTS TO DO.

BUT HE'S ALREADY SAID THAT HE WANTS TO DO AWAY WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CHANGES ON CUBA, WHICH PRESIDENT TRUMP REALLY TIGHTENED ON THE REGIME AND TRYING TO HELP THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

AND MAYBE WE'LL GET BACK TO WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS DOING.

THAT HE COULD DO BY EXECUTIVE ORDER, THAT'S HOW PRESIDENT TRUMP DID IT, THAT'S HOW PRESIDENT OBAMA DID IT, AND I SUSPECT THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL DO IT AS WELL.

SO IT'S LIKE A PENDULUM, IT CHANGES.

SADLY, THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN'T CHANGE IS THE MISERY FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

NO ELECTIONS, NO FREE PRESS, NOTHING, DISSIDENCE OR JAILED, SO THAT'S A SHAME.

AND I HOPE THAT ONE DAY WE FIND THAT MAGIC FORMULA SO THAT THE CUBAN PEOPLE CAN FREE THEMSELVES OF THAT DASTARDLY REGIME.

>>SO LET ME ASK YOU, HOW DO YOU HELP THE CUBAN PEOPLE?

WE'VE SEEN THIS PENDULUM THAT YOU DESCRIBE, BUT WHAT HAS WORKED AND WHAT COULD WORK OR WHAT SHOULD WORK IF WE'RE ASKING ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN TO DESIGN THE POLICY THAT WOULD WORK?

>>WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD BEEN DOING WAS GOING TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IT JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO WORK ITS WAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, "YOU CAN'T STAY IN PROPERTIES, HOTEL PROPERTIES, THAT ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CUBAN REGIME," AND THAT IS JUST ABOUT EVERY HOTEL, "BUT YOU CAN STAY IN PEOPLE'S HOMES, AT THOSE AIRBNB KIND OF ESTABLISHMENTS, " AND THAT HELPS THE CUBAN PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S MONEY THAT'S GOING INTO THEIR POCKETS AND EAT AT THOSE KINDS OF RESTAURANTS.

SO IT'S A POLICY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY TAKE HOLD.

SO ANYTHING THAT YOU DO TO HELP THE PEOPLE AND PUNISH THE REGIME, I THINK IS A GOOD THING.

BUT I ALWAYS SAY, "LOOK, THE UNITED STATES IS NOT GOING TO SEND IN THE MARINES.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO OVERTHROW FIDEL CASTRO."

ALL OF THOSE CHANGES HAVE TO BE MADE BY THE PEOPLE OF CUBA THEMSELVES.

AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO MAKE CHANGES WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN SLAVE LAND LIKE CUBA, WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHTS THAT WE DO, THAT WE ENJOY SO MUCH HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND SO PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME, THEY SAY, "CUBAN PEOPLE ARE NOT REVOLTING AGAINST CASTRO, THEY MUST LIKE WHAT HE'S DOING."

AND I SAID, "NO, IT'S JUST THE WAY.

IT IS A DICTATORSHIP, YOU REALLY CAN'T PROTEST OR ELSE YOU'RE THROWN IN JAIL."

SO CASTRO HAS PERFECTED THE WAY TO PUNISH THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

HE USED TO GIVE THEM LONG PRISON TERMS, IF YOU'RE A DISSONANT AND YOU PROTEST.

NOW, HE'S LEARNED YOU JAIL THEM FOR A WEEK OR FOR TWO WEEKS, THEY DISAPPEAR FOR A MONTH.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE BACK, AND YOU PUNISH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.

SO HE'S PERFECTED THE ART OF HASSLING DISSONANCE, AND THAT'S A SHAME.

>>ILEANA, IN SOME OF MY ACADEMIC TRIPS TO CUBA, SOME OF THE PEOPLE I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE SANCTIONS AND THE EMBARGO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT THEY'RE HUNGRY AND THAT THEY CAN'T ACCESS BASIC NEEDS.

SOME OF THEM ARE ABLE TO WATCH SHOWS LIKE OURS ONLINE, AND SOME OF THEM SPEAK ENGLISH.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY DIRECTLY TO THOSE PEOPLE AND TO THE PEOPLE WATCHING US HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE, LEARNING ABOUT HOW YOU VIEW THE EMBARGO IMPACTING THESE PEOPLE IN CUBA?

>>WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, KATIE.

THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

AND I WOULD SAY TO THEM THAT THERE IS NO EMBARGO ON FOOD OR MEDICINE, AND YES, THE PEOPLE OF CUBA ARE HUNGRY AND THEY WANT MEDICINES AND THEY CAN'T GET THEM, BUT IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE US EMBARGO ON THE REGIME.

THOSE ARE EMBARGOES THAT THE REGIME PUTS ON THE CUBAN PEOPLE.

WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO CUBA AND YOU'RE A FOREIGN VISITOR, YOU GET TREATED VERY WELL.

AND IF YOU WERE TO GET SICK, I HOPE NOT, YOU WOULD GET FIRST-CLASS CARE.

NOW THAT'S NOT THE TREATMENT THAT CUBANS GET, AND IT'S NOT THE CARE THAT CUBANS GET.

SO ITS KIND OF LIKE AN APARTHEID SYSTEM.

ONE SYSTEM IS FOR THE CUBAN NATIVES AND THE OTHER ONE ARE FOR THE FOREIGN TOURISTS.

AND SO PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S AN UNFAIR SYSTEM, THAT PEOPLE WHO GO TO CUBA TO VISIT GET A SENSE THAT EVERYTHING IS FINE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE REALITY THAT THE CUBAN PEOPLE CONFRONT EVERY DAY.

IT'S SAD, BUT IT'S TRUE.

>>WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUBA, BUT OF COURSE THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES GOING IN LATIN AMERICA IN PARTICULAR, AND I WANTED YOU TO ASK YOU PARTICULARLY, WHAT SHOULD THE US DO ABOUT VENEZUELA AND, WHAT ELSE SHOULD THE NEW ADMINISTRATION LOOK AT IN TERMS OF RE-ENGAGING WITH LATIN AMERICA?

>>AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

AND I REALLY DO HOPE THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION ENGAGES LATIN AMERICA IN A WAY THAT WE BUILD BRIDGES AND WE FOSTER DEMOCRACY, AND WE STRENGTHEN THE INSTITUTIONS, WHETHER IT'S THE PRESS OR CIVIL SOCIETY, WHATEVER IT IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY THERE TO BE A FORCE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE, AND WE NEED MORE ALLIES.

NOW THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS HAPPENING IN VENEZUELA, CUBA, AND NICARAGUA.

IN THOSE COUNTRIES, WE SEE A SYSTEM, A POLITICAL SYSTEM, THAT'S CORRUPTED, THAT JUST MAINTAINS ITSELF IN POWER, DON'T HAVE FAIR ELECTIONS, DON'T HAVE FREE ELECTIONS.

WHETHER IT'S VENEZUELA, CUBA, OR NICARAGUA, IT'S THE SAME CORRUPTED SYSTEM.

AND THE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN THAT KIND OF SYSTEM.

IF THEY HAD THEIR CHOICE, THEY WOULD COME TO THE UNITED STATES IN A NEW YORK MINUTE, BECAUSE HERE WE HAVE... WE CRITICIZE OUR OWN COUNTRY, BUT MY GOSH, IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?

JUST SO MANY FREEDOMS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT A PERFECT NATION, AND WE SAW THAT IN A VERY RESTLESS SUMMER IN THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT BOY, WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO REGIMES ALL AROUND THE WORLD, IT'S PRETTY DARN GOOD, AND IN VENEZUELA, WE HAVE A DESPOT WHO WILL NOT GIVE UP POWER.

NICOLAS MADURO, JUST LIKE HUGO CHAVEZ BEFORE HIM.

HE WILL NOT GO EASILY INTO THE NIGHT.

HE WILL TRY TO REMAIN IN POWER FOREVER.

THE SAME IS TRUE OF DANIEL ORTEGA IN NICARAGUA.

HE WILL TRY TO STAY IN POWER FOREVER, AND THE ELECTIONS THAT THESE COUNTRIES HAVE ARE A SHAM, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO REAL POLITICAL PARTIES.

THERE'S NO REAL FREE PRESS, AND THERE'S NO AVENUE FOR THE OPPOSITION TO EXPRESS THEIR DISCOMFORT WITH HAVING THIS KIND OF GOVERNMENT.

PEOPLE WANT TO BE FREE, THAT'S HUMAN NATURE, WE WANT TO BE FREE.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FOR ALL THE COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD.

>>WHAT DO YOU THINK ILEANA, IT WOULD TAKE FOR PEOPLE IN LATIN AMERICA AND VENEZUELA AND NICARAGUA, AND EVEN CUBA TO FEEL EMPOWERED AND TO LOOK FOR THAT CHANGE?

>>WELL, KATIE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

IT IS, I MEAN, YOU CAN'T SUGAR COAT THIS BECAUSE LET'S SAY YOU WANTED TO DO A SHOW LIKE THIS IN CUBA.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO HAVE THE CAMERA MAN AND THE SOUND ENGINEER AND THE PRODUCER, AND HAVE A GUEST WHERE I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK ME, AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY.

THAT IS TRUE FREEDOM, YOU JUST CAN'T HAVE THAT IN CUBA.

SO PEOPLE FIND WAYS SO THAT THEY CAN LISTEN TO SHOWS LIKE THIS.

AND THEY'RE VERY CREATIVE, AND THIS WAS VERY GOOD.

WHEN THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, WHEN THEY GET TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, I THINK THAT'S A WIN FOR THE PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHAT THE REGIME DOESN'T WANT THE PEOPLE TO DO.

>>ON THE ISSUE OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, WHAT DID YOU DO IN CONGRESS WHILE YOU WERE THERE TO SUPPORT EFFORTS, TO EXPAND THIS, PARTICULARLY IN LATIN AMERICA?

BUT I KNOW YOU WERE ACTIVE, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE THE CHAIR OF THE ENTIRE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, SO YOU HAD GLOBAL SCOPE.

>>WELL, I WORKED WITH THAT WITH MEMBERS WHO ARE VERY KEEN ON THIS.

FOR EXAMPLE, TOM LANTOS WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

HE'S THE ONLY HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR TO HAVE EVER SERVED IN CONGRESS, HE'S PASSED AWAY NOW.

BUT BECAUSE HE AND I BOTH CAME FROM TOTALITARIAN REGIMES, AT ONE TIME, WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND WE SAID, "WOW, IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?"

HE WAS BORN IN HUNGARY, A NATURALIZED AMERICAN.

I WAS BORN IN CUBA, A NATURALIZED AMERICAN, AND HERE WE ARE HEADING THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE.

BUT TOM, JUST LIKE I DID, HAD A KEEN INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT JOURNALISTS WERE PROTECTED, THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PRACTICE THEIR PROFESSION.

AND IN MANY ENSLAVED COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

AND ALSO ANOTHER MEMBER OF CONGRESS WITH WHOM I WORKED, WAS JIM MCGOVERN.

HE'S A VERY LIBERAL DEMOCRAT FROM MASSACHUSETTS, AND HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR CONGRESS FINALLY PASSING THE MAGNITSKY ACT, WHICH SERVES TO HELP HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND GIVES THEM PROTECTION FROM THESE AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES AND ALSO HOLDS THESE REGIMES RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

AND BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITSKY ACT, MANY JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN HELPED, TO COME HERE TO THE UNITED STATES AND MANY AUTOCRATS AND BULLIES, WHETHER IT'S RUSSIA OR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THIS LIST THAT BARS THEM ENTRY.

SO PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS IS VERY IMPORTANT, WHETHER IT'S THE MIDDLE EAST, WHETHER IT'S LATIN AMERICA, EVERYWHERE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE PROTECTED, THE JOURNALISTS ARE PROTECTED.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HAVING A DEMOCRACY AND HAVING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, IS MAKING SURE THAT THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND PEOPLE GO TO JOURNALISTS TO HAVE THEIR STORIES BE HEARD.

AND SO WE MUST GIVE THEM PROTECTION.

SO I HOPE THAT IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, THEY WILL CONTINUE SOME OF THAT WORK AND WE WILL BE A BETTER NATION FOR IT.

>>SPEAKING OF JOURNALISTS, HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS TO EMPOWER JOURNALISTS THROUGH ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS?

IN THE PAST, THOSE ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS HAVE BEEN IN JEOPARDY BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL SANCTIONS, BECAUSE OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT EVEN PROFESSORS COULD BE PLACED IN, IF THEY TRAVEL TO TRAIN OTHER JOURNALISTS AND STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS TO TRAIN JOURNALISTS?

>>WELL, I THINK THAT IN THEORY, THEY SOUND VERY GOOD, BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I SEE KATIE, IS THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THAT ONLY THE LIBERAL SCHOOLS AND ONLY THE LIBERAL PROGRAMS THAT HAVE A POLITICAL BENT ARE THE ONES THAT TRY TO HAVE THESE PROGRAMS IN THEIR CAMPUSES, OR TRY TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS.

AND I HOPE THAT MORE CONSERVATIVES PARTICIPATE SO THAT WE CAN GET A REAL DIVERSITY OF WHAT THE UNITED STATES ACADEMIA AND JOURNALISM IS ALL ABOUT.

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE... LET'S SAY, IF THEY'RE GOING TO CUBA, THEY'RE RUN BY VERY LIBERAL PROFESSORS WHO HAVE A POLITICAL AGENDA.

THEY'RE NOT FOR THE EMBARGOED, THAT'S FINE.

YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER OPINION YOU WANT.

SO STUDENTS SOMETIMES REALLY GET PUNISHED IN TERMS OF THE WAY THE PROFESSOR SEES THEM AND THE GRADING, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROFESSORS.

SO IN THEORY, THEY'RE GOOD AND I'M FOR IT.

BUT IN PRACTICE, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT THEY'RE VERY LIBERAL PROGRAMS WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA AND THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THEIR WAY OF THINKING.

AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT.

WHAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE DOING IS CENSORING THE STUDENTS AND CENSORING A FREE FLOW OF IDEAS.

>>I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A LITTLE ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

YOU BEING AN IMMIGRANT TO THIS COUNTRY, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S VERY PERSONAL TO YOU.

IT'S ALSO BEEN AN ISSUE THAT'S BECOME VERY PARTISAN OVER THE YEARS.

HOW SHOULD WE BE ADDRESSING THIS AS A NATION, THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE?

THAT'S ONE SIDE OF IT.

THE OTHER IS, HOW SHOULD THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BE ADDRESSING IMMIGRATION?

SO I'M ASKING YOU SEVERAL QUESTIONS AT ONCE BECAUSE THE OTHER IS, ON THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SIDE, HOW MUCH IS FOREIGN AID IMPORTANT IN KIND OF HELPING MITIGATE SOME OF THE IMMIGRATION FROM LATIN AMERICA IN PARTICULAR?

>>EXCELLENT QUESTION DAVID.

AND I WAS OPTIMISTIC SEVERAL TIMES DURING MY TIME IN CONGRESS, THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE LED BY REPUBLICANS.

FOR EXAMPLE, GEORGE W. BUSH AND HIS FATHER, GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH, WERE BOTH ADVOCATES OF GETTING COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND HELPING IMMIGRANTS COME TO THE UNITED STATES AND BECOME LEGAL CITIZENS.

AND ALSO FOR A WHILE THERE, WHEN WE HAD SPEAKER RYAN, HE WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF TRYING TO GET COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.

AND THEN IT WAS JUST A SERIES OF POLITICAL UPSETS THAT UPSET THAT APPLE CART, AND WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO I'M STILL A FIRM BELIEVER IN THAT.

I THINK A LOT OF IT IS TIED TO WHAT YOU MENTIONED, THE SITUATIONS IN THE HOME COUNTRIES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT CENTRAL AMERICA, MANY OF THE IMMIGRANTS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES COME FROM THOSE AREAS AND THEY'RE AREAS THAT HAVE A LOT OF GANG VIOLENCE.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF DRUG TRAFFICKING.

THAT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR A PARENT TO SAY, "SURE, I'LL STAY HERE IN SPITE OF MY CHILD POSSIBLY ENDING UP IN A GANG AND ME HAVING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRUG TRADE BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY KIND OF JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD."

SO IT'S A TOUGH CHOICE.

AND YET, IF WE WERE TO HELP THOSE COUNTRIES TO GET MORE STABLE DEMOCRACIES, TO BUILD UP THEIR INSTITUTIONS, TO GET A CIVIL SOCIETY THAT'S STRONG AND FORCEFUL, AND A POSITIVE CHANGE, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE UNITED STATES TO BUILD UP THOSE PROGRAMS.

NOW, WE HAVE SOME GREAT NONPOLITICAL INSTITUTIONS LIKE IRI AND NDI, WHETHER IT'S THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE OR THE INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE, THEY WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER, AND THEY TRY TO DO PRECISELY THAT, TO BUILD UP CIVIL SOCIETY SO THAT THE FOLKS IN THOSE COUNTRIES DON'T SEE THAT, "GEE, IF I GO TO THE UNITED STATES, I WILL GET MY PROBLEMS RESOLVED."

NO, THAT THEY WANT TO STAY IN THEIR COUNTRIES AND IMPROVE THEIR DEMOCRACY AND IMPROVE THEIR CIVIL SOCIETY.

AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE.

I'M SAD THAT MY PARTY IS NOW ASSOCIATED WITH BEING SO ANTI-IMMIGRANT, AND THAT'S NEVER BEEN OUR HISTORY.

AND I HOPE THAT WE GET BACK TO THAT OPENNESS AND RONALD REAGAN WAS VERY GOOD ABOUT IMMIGRATION AS HAVE MANY, MANY REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS, AND WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THAT.

>>I WANT TO TRANSITION INTO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

USUALLY THIS IS A POSITION, WE TALKED ABOUT YOUR SERVANT LEADERSHIP, AND IT JUST DOESN'T GO AWAY BECAUSE YOUR TITLE, ISN'T THE SAME TITLE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?

ARE YOU WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, OR WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?

>>WELL, I'M VERY MUCH INVOLVED, THANK YOU, DAVE AND KATIE.

I'M VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN MY COMMUNITY AND IN ALL OF THESE EFFORTS INTERNATIONALLY.

NOW WITH COVID, OF COURSE, EVERYONE IS DOING IT REMOTELY, BUT I'M A SENIOR ADVISOR AT AN INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM CALLED, AKIN GUMP, AND THIS IS MY HOME OFFICE HERE IN MIAMI, OUR FAMILY LIBRARY.

BUT I'M VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH ALL OF THESE MOVEMENTS.

IF THEY'RE PRO DEMOCRACY, PRO HUMAN RIGHTS, I DON'T CARE IF ITS A DEMOCRATIC PROGRAM OR A REPUBLICAN PROGRAM, I AM FOR THAT, AND I STAY VERY INVOLVED IN WORLD AFFAIRS.

AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

YOU ARE GREAT INTERVIEWERS.

MAN, WE COVERED THE WATERFRONT AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND LET'S HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE OF CUBA REALLY DO SEE AND HEAR THIS PROGRAM.

I LIKE IT THAT YOU SAID THAT KATIE.

WE ONLY STARTED COVERING CUBA, WE'VE GOT THE WHOLE REST OF THE WORLD TO GO OVER AND WE REALLY HOPE WE CAN HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN SOMETIME SOON.

>>I WOULD LOVE IT.

>>AND PREFERABLY, WE'LL DO THAT LIVE, IN PERSON, BUT FOR NOW, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.

>>DAVID AND KATIE, THANK YOU, MUCHAS GRACIAS.

THANK YOU.

>>GRACIAS A TI.

>>AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.