Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a U.S. Congresswoman representing Florida’s 27th district, posted several statements on February 13, 2026, addressing both economic developments in the United States and calls for renewed legal action regarding the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.
In a tweet posted at 15:03 UTC, Salazar commented on recent economic indicators, stating: “Inflation has dropped to 2.4%, and last month the U.S. economy added 172,000 new private-sector jobs. That means lower costs, more paychecks, and growing opportunity for Americans.
Thanks to the leadership of @HouseGOP and @POTUS, the economy is gaining momentum and moving in https://t.co/C2gButgpxr” (February 13, 2026).
Later that day at 21:54 UTC, Salazar addressed the long-standing case of Raúl Castro’s alleged involvement in the deaths of Americans during the Brothers to the Rescue incident in 1996: “For nearly 30 years, Raúl Castro has escaped justice for the murder of Americans in the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.
The evidence is clear: he was in command.
It’s time to reopen the case, follow the truth to the top, and bring him to justice.
@MarioDB
@RepCarlos https://t.co/6DgeKdOq0T” (February 13, 2026).
She reiterated her statement in Spanish minutes later at 21:59 UTC: “Por casi 30 años, Raúl Castro ha evadido la justicia por el asesinato de estadounidenses en el derribo de Hermanos al Rescate.
La evidencia es contundente: él estaba al mando.
Es hora de reabrir el caso, seguir la verdad hasta el más alto nivel y que pague por sus crímenes.” (February 13, 2026).
The Brothers to the Rescue incident occurred on February 24, 1996 when Cuban military jets shot down two civilian aircraft operated by a Miami-based humanitarian group. The attack resulted in four deaths and led to international condemnation as well as increased tensions between Cuba and the United States. Raúl Castro was serving as Cuba’s Minister of Defense at that time. Calls for accountability have persisted over decades but no criminal charges have been brought against high-ranking Cuban officials related to this event.
Salazar’s comments on economic progress come amid ongoing national discussions about inflation rates and job growth figures reported by government agencies. The referenced drop in inflation and job creation aligns with recent data releases showing continued recovery following earlier periods of higher inflation and economic uncertainty.