'Illegitimate government': Sen. Rick Scott says U.S. should 'shut down' the Cuban Embassy in D.C.

Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott said Tuesday the U.S. government should shut down the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C., arguing it represents an "illegitimate government."

"We also need to shut down the Cuban embassy. It's an illegitimate government," Scott said before speaking at a rally for freedom in Cuba on Capitol Hill. "They shouldn't have an embassy here in D.C. North Korea doesn't. Iran doesn't either."

Scott told Just the News he disagrees with progressive Democrats who want to the U.S. to end the embargo on Cuba.

"No, no, no, no," he said. "Socialism causes this problem." 

He told a story of a woman whom he said had her hand chopped off by the communist Cuban regime for complaining that the government closed her school.

"So that's what the Castro regime is doing so it has nothing to do with the embargo," he said.

Scott also said he agrees with the Colombian President Ivan Duque who said Tuesday the U.S. should designate Venezuela a state sponsor of terrorism under the Maduro regime.

"They clearly are and the Biden administration has to stand up to these dictators. It starts with making sure we get freedom in Cuba. If we do, Maduro is going to fall and Ortega is going to fall," said Scott, referring to the leader of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega.