Local South Florida leaders reacted to potential action on Cuba as President Trump is set to host a summit with Latin American leaders in Doral late Saturday morning. The city of Doral hosted a welcome reception for the president on Friday. “They’ve brought together like-minded leaders, to strengthen the Americas, for a more prosperous and free hemisphere,” said Doral Mayor Christi Fraga. The president is set to host an upcoming meeting with foreign dignitaries at the Shield of the Americas summit. The meeting comes as Trump said the next foreign government to fall will be Cuba. “Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon, by the way, unrelated, but Cuba is gonna fall too. They want to make a deal so badly,” said Trump in an interview with CNN on Friday. “They want to make a deal, and so I’m going to put Marco (Rubio) over there and we’ll see how that works out. We’re really focused on this one right now. We’ve got plenty of time, but Cuba’s ready — after 50 years.” The leaders of 12 different Latin American countries, including Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and El Salvador, gathered to talk on security, immigration, and dealing with drug trafficking. “The liberty will become a reality,” said Chilean president-elect Jose Antonio Kast. Local leaders shared their thoughts on Trump’s statement. “It’s about time the people of Cuba are free,” said Fraga. “Cuba, which is the mothership of evil in the Western Hemisphere, is about to fall,” said U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar. Leaders in South Florida at the reception welcomed the efforts. “Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, they’re all the same thing. They are people in the business of power, and crushing their own population,” said Salazar. Some Cuban Americans in South Florida who spoke with 7News said they also wanted to see change. “I think it’s about time, and I think Marco Rubio will do an outstanding job, just like he did in Venezuela,” said a Cuban American resident. “I believe in this year, that Cuba will be free,” said another resident. There are reports that federal prosecutors are considering charges against members of the Cuban government. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida assembled a group to try to build cases against people connected to the Cuban regime, but details are still unclear. “We’re hoping that charges will be brought up against Raul Castro, and other high ranking Cuban officials,” said U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez. “Look at the Brothers to the Rescue downing, four Americans were downed in international waters. We have recordings of Raul Castro ordering that, and for us, that means that he is guilty of murder.” How long the charges will take depends on a grand jury. The president is expected to speak at the Shield of the Americas summit late Saturday morning. ...read more read less