A man identified by federal authorities as an agent of the communist Cuban government donated a total of $3,900 to Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar’s political campaigns in 2022 and 2024, federal records show.
The donations came from Fernando Valdes Perez, a permanent U.S. resident who authorities say spent decades spying on the Cuban exile community on behalf of Havana. Valdes Perez was deported last week after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said he lied about being a foreign intelligence agent on his green card application.
Eliott Rodriguez, the Democratic nominee for Florida’s 27th Congressional District is challenging Salazar in November’s election, and he called on Salazar to return the cash.
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"Salazar must immediately return every dollar and publicly provide documentation proving that the money is no longer financing her campaign. The gig is up. We know exactly who supports her: those who understand, behind the scenes, that María Elvira Salazar has become the Cuban regime’s best ally in Congress. That is the height of hypocrisy, and this is not the first time an individual connected to Cuban intelligence has contributed to her campaign,” said Rodriguez in a statement.
Three years ago it was revealed that Manual Rocha, a U.S. citizen who spent decades spying for the Cuban government from within top tiers of the Department of State, had also donated to Salazar’s campaign during the 2022 cycle. Salazar said at the time that she would return the money. Salazar denied that she had any kind of connection with Rocha.
In response to an email from WLRN, Salazar’s campaign said this time around, she will not return the money to someone identified as a Cuban agent.
"This individual made unsolicited contributions to my campaign in previous election cycles. I will not return money to someone identified as an agent of the Cuban regime. Instead, I will donate an equivalent amount to organizations fighting for a free Cuba,” Salazar said in a statement.
Salazar then took a jab at Rodriguez.
“Now, Mr. Rodriguez should answer directly: Will he return the contributions he accepted this cycle from donors seeking to normalize relations with the Cuban dictatorship?" she asked.
The congresswoman did not name anyone in pushing Rodriguez to return donations.
Valdes Perez also gave $1,000 to Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart’s campaign in 2018, and an additional $2,000 in 2024, records show.
Diaz-Balart’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Diaz-Balart is running to be re-elected in the 26th Congressional District that was redrawn by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led Florida Legislature.
The old district used to stretch from Hialeah west across the state into Collier County. The new district drops Collier County and takes in part of Broward County, including a part of Pembroke Pines.
Diaz-Balart is being challenged by Democrat Nicole Locklin.
