Florida Sen. Marco Rubio shared the story of his family’s immigration to the U.S. while addressing a gathering at Miami’s Freedom Tower. The tower was a processing center for Cuban refugees seeking political asylum from Fidel Castro’s regime, between 1962 and 1974. It still remains a symbol of hope freedom and democracy to the Cuban American community, like New York’s Ellis Island.
Rubio, the son of a hotel maid and a bartender, said that he has a debt to the country that he will never be able to repay. He spoke about how his parents emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba. After their arrival in the country, they had worked in menial jobs to earn a living. He praised his parents for saving money and bringing up him and their other three children.
Rubio’s parents were successful though they were not rich or famous. They did what they were able to do with the limited skills they possessed. Their skills paid them enough to get a better life in the country. With what they earned, they bought a home in the U.S. and are now living the “American dream.”
“What is the nationality of Marco Rubio?” was one of the questions posted on Google to which he answered, “I’m an American — of Hispanic descent.” He was shown answering this question in a video that was released after he entered the presidential race.
Rubio recently announced his 2016 presidential run. If elected, he will be the country’s first Hispanic president. He will also be the first Floridian president in the White House. However, a recent Fox News poll shows that around 31 percent of Republican voters have never heard of Rubio. He also faces few other challenges, one of which is raising millions of dollars needed to finance his campaign.
While addressing the gathering, Rubio said that America’s economy is struggling. The country is also facing a lot of challenges from countries like Iran, Russia and China.