María Elvira Salazar had a prominent career as a Spanish-language television journalist and anchor spanning over 30 years, working for major networks like Telemundo, Univision, CNN en Español, Mega TV, and América TeVé (Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald).
She built her reputation covering major events in Latin America, serving as Univision's Central America bureau chief, reporting from El Salvador and Nicaragua, and conducting high-profile interviews, including with Fidel Castro (1995), Augusto Pinochet, and Nicolás Maduro (Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel).
Salazar hosted several influential programs, such as "María Elvira," "María Elvira Live," and "De Noche Con María Elvira," earning strong recognition among Hispanic audiences in Miami and helping shape political debate on Cuban and Latin American issues (El Nuevo Herald, Miami Herald).
Her interview with Fidel Castro became a subject of political scrutiny, with critics using segments to accuse her of being too friendly toward the dictator; Salazar defended her impartiality, described the interview as a tough journalistic achievement, and pointed to her longstanding criticism of the Cuban regime (Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald).
Salazar's media presence and decades-long TV career gave her strong name recognition, particularly among older Spanish-speaking and Cuban-American voters, significantly contributing to her later success in politics (Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times).
She ended her journalism career in 2020--2021 after being elected to Congress, as required by House ethics rules (El Nuevo Herald, Miami Herald).
2021: Salazar Utilizó Su Experiencia En Periodismo Para Analizar La Situación Regional According to El American, "Maria Elvira Salazar no solo conoce muy bien Cuba, sino toda la región. Durante su larga y reconocida carrera periodística ha cubierto noticias en diferentes lugares de Latinoamérica, y al preguntarle por Colombia ---como uno de los países que sufre la amenaza del socialismo--- no tardó en hablar sobre el peligro que significa el candidato socialista Gustavo Petro." [El American, 11/18/21]
Salazar Previously Worked As A Spanish-language Journalist According to Floricua News, "As the former Spanish-language journalist continues her bid against Democrat Lucia Baez-Geller, here are 10 things to know about Maria Elvira Salazar." [Floricua News, 5/13/24]
2015: Salazar Finalized MIRA TV Program After Year And A Half According to El Nuevo Herald, "Tras año y medio de su salida al aire el espacio de opinión y análisis político María Elvira, que conduce la periodista cubana María Elvira Salazar, en MIRA TV (Canal 18) tendrá su emisión final este viernes 9, a las 8 p.m." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2015: Salazar Received Offers From Other Media Outlets And Considered Opportunities According to El Nuevo Herald, 'He recibido buenas ofertas de otros medios de comunicación y me gustaría explorar otras oportunidades. Pero mi interés sigue siendo el público del sur de la Florida, que es mi público natural', expresó Salazar el jueves a el Nuevo Herald, vía telefónica. [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2015: Salazar Considered Propositions In English And Spanish At National And Local Levels According to El Nuevo Herald, 'La periodista anticipó que tiene varias proposiciones a nivel nacional y local "tanto en inglés como en español". Sin embargo, aún no se ha decidido por ninguna.' [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2015: Salazar Planned To Make Career Decisions By End Of Year According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Me estoy tomando tiempo para decidir dónde pondré el corazón para seguir sirviéndole a este público que durante 15 años ha estado sintonizando el programa de María Elvira', agregó Salazar, que 'para finales de año' ya habrá tomado una determinación. [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2015: Salazar Expressed Interest In Serving Hispanic Audience Amid Latin American Events According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Siempre estoy pensando cómo puedo servir mejor al público hispano. Sobre todo [ahora], ante los acontecimientos que están ocurriendo entre Cuba y Estados Unidos, Venezuela, Colombia y el resto de los países latinoamericanos', dijo María Elvira. [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2015: Salazar Described Dream Of Reporting From Cuba According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Mi gran sueño es reportar desde Cuba. El gobierno cubano lo sabe porque lo repito día a día en cámara. Solo estoy esperando a que me avisen [para entrar al país]', dijo Salazar, que califica su paso por MIRA TV como una experiencia "engrandecedora". [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2015: MIRA TV General Manager Judith Prado Valued Salazar's Contribution According to El Nuevo Herald, 'María Elvira nos acompañó en MIRA TV desde la transición de CNN Latino. Su aporte a nuestra pantalla fue muy valioso. Definitivamente, ella es un factor de opinión importante dentro del periodismo hispano y le deseamos mucho éxito en la próxima etapa de su carrera profesional', dijo Judith Prado, gerente general de MIRA TV. [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/8/15]
2016: María Elvira Salazar Announced Return To Mega TV According to El Nuevo Herald, "La periodista cubanoamericana María Elvira Salazar regresará a Mega TV, el canal que transmitió sus programas Polos Opuestos y María Elvira Live hace algunos años. Según confirmó a el Nuevo Herald el domingo, Salazar confesó sentirse 'encantada' con la vuelta a la estación de Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS) que contribuyó a fundar, y donde laboró ocho años." [El Nuevo Herald, 1/9/16]
2016: Salazar Planned New Prime-Time Program Format At Mega TV According to El Nuevo Herald, "Comienzo a principios de febrero. Voy a inventar un nuevo formato que saldrá en el horario estelar", dijo María Elvira, que se enorgullece de 'haber sido la pionera de un formato de debate político que no existía en el mercado de Miami en el horario de las 8 p.m.'" [El Nuevo Herald, 1/9/16]
2016: Salazar Focused On Reporting Cuba Developments Post-U.S.-Cuba Rapprochement According to El Nuevo Herald, 'El reto en esta nueva etapa es cubrir Cuba desde adentro. Ya Obama y Raúl [Castro] se pusieron de acuerdo. Ahora, como periodista quiero informar lo que pasará después de aquel estrechón de manos en Panamá', expresó María Elvira. [El Nuevo Herald, 1/9/16]
2016: Salazar Emphasized Experience And Wisdom In TV Career According to El Nuevo Herald, 'La experiencia acumulada a lo largo de mi carrera no ha pasado por gusto. Tengo más años y más sabiduría', subrayó la periodista de 54 años. 'Todo eso se traducirá en beneficio de un público que me ha seguido por décadas y al que le agradezco eternamente su fidelidad'. [El Nuevo Herald, 1/9/16]
2018: Salazar Pointed To Her 15 Years Of Critical Programming Against The Cuban Regime According to El Nuevo Herald, 'A aquellos que puedan considerarla complaciente con Castro, los remite a que revisen los programas que condujo durante 15 años en la televisión de Miami.' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Asserted Longstanding Criticism Of Castro Regime In Miami Media According to El Nuevo Herald, 'La gente sabe que he sido una de las mayores críticas del castrismo en esta ciudad, por eso el régimen me detesta y por eso no me han dejado entrar a la isla a hacer ninguna cobertura', dijo. [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
Salazar Worked In Spanish-Language Broadcast News Since 1984 According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "She [Salazar] has worked in Spanish-language broadcast news since 1984 and interviewed Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the mid-1990s." [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/29/18]
2018: Salazar Promoted Her 35-Year Journalism Career During Congressional Campaign According to Miami Herald, "the Republican Party is putting its faith in a woman who touts her 35-year career in news reporting -- and has vowed to serve as a centrist not beholden to the conservative wing or the president." [Miami Herald, 10/5/18]
Salazar Reported As A Veteran Spanish-Language Broadcast Journalist According to Miami Herald, "Salazar's stints as a Spanish-language broadcast journalist for Telemundo, CNN en Español and the local station MegaTV and as a frequent guest on Fox News proved to be paramount to her victory." [Miami Herald, 10/5/18]
Salazar Worked As Univision Central America Bureau Chief According to Miami Herald, "As the Central America bureau chief for the Univision TV network for a number of years, Salazar was based in El Salvador and Nicaragua, seeing first hand the violence and poverty that drives so many families across the U.S. border." [Miami Herald, 10/5/18]
2016: Salazar Attempted To Interview Trump And Was Apologized To By Him According to Miami Herald, "It was there in 2016, when Salazar -- then a reporter for Miami-based MegaTV -- was denied a pre-organized interview with then-candidate Trump [...] Appearing on Fox News' 'O'Reilly Factor' in late October of that year, Salazar said she didn't feel snubbed. 'I think it was the right thing to do. I think it was the right move. You know, he called me on the phone... and said he wanted to apologize for not talking to us.'" [Miami Herald, 10/5/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Identified As A Prominent Hispanic Television Journalist According to El Nuevo Herald, "una afamada periodista de la televisión hispana emblemática de la población latina de Miami." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/22/18]
Salazar Identified As Former Spanish-Language Broadcast Journalist According to Miami Herald, 'A consultant for Salazar, a former Spanish-language broadcast journalist, said in a statement Wednesday that Shalala's luncheon with Clinton shows she "prefers a Washington-driven campaign that clings to the failed ideas of the past."' [Miami Herald, 10/24/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Was A Former Journalist For Hispanic Media According to El Nuevo Herald, "su oponente, la ex periodista de medios de prensa hispanos María Elvira Salazar". [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/29/18]
2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Was Well-Known Hispanic Television Journalist According to El Nuevo Herald, "Pero Salazar, de 57 años y una afamada periodista de la televisión hispana, demostró ser una contendora formidable, dentro de un distrito conformado en un 70 por ciento por hispanos." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 11/6/18]
2019: María Elvira Salazar Interviewed Nicolás Maduro In Miraflores Palace According to El Nuevo Herald, "Maduro en una entrevista en el palacio presidencial de Miraflores con la periodista del sur de la Florida María Elvira Salazar." [El Nuevo Herald, 1/17/19]
2020: Salazar Described As A Former TV Journalist According to Miami Herald, "Salazar, a former TV journalist, repeated the accusation in an interview with CBS Miami on Sunday, but she did not offer proof for it." [Miami Herald, 9/28/20]
2020: Miami Herald Identified Maria Elvira Salazar As A Former TV Journalist According to Miami Herald, "Salazar, a former TV journalist, won her race against one of Miami's most well-known politicians by successfully tying Shalala to left-leaning Democrats like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist." [Miami Herald, 11/3/20]
2020: María Elvira Salazar Identified As Cuban-American Journalist Turned Politician According to El Nuevo Herald, "la periodista cubanoamericana recobró para los republicanos el escaño que mantuvo durante décadas la ex representante Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, quien le dio su apoyo." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 11/3/20]
Salazar Was Journalist Focused On Cuba Before Congress According to El Nuevo Herald, 'la congresista, que fue periodista durante muchos años y cubrió el tema Cuba para varias cadenas televisivas...' [El Nuevo Herald, 3/18/21]
2021: Salazar Previously Worked As A Journalist In Nicaragua And Interviewed Ortega According to Miami Herald, "Salazar, who previously worked as a journalist in Nicaragua and once interviewed Ortega, introduced the bill with New Jersey Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski [...]" [Miami Herald, 6/17/21]
Salazar Previously Worked As Journalist In Nicaragua And Interviewed Ortega According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar, quien anteriormente trabajó como periodista en Nicaragua y una vez entrevistó a Ortega, presentó el proyecto de ley junto con el representante demócrata de Nueva Jersey Tom Malinowski ..." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 6/18/21]
Salazar Previously Worked As Journalist In Nicaragua And Interviewed Ortega According to Miami Herald, "The Renacer Act was also amended to include language from Salazar, a former journalist who once worked in Nicaragua and interviewed Ortega [...]" [Miami Herald, 11/10/21]
Salazar: Former Journalist And Ortega Interviewer Worked In Nicaragua According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar, ex periodista que alguna vez trabajó en Nicaragua y entrevistó a Ortega [...]" [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 11/10/21]
Palm Beach Post Reported Salazar Previously Worked For Telemundo And CNN en Español According to Palm Beach Post, "Salazar, a veteran Miami-based news anchor who worked for Telemundo and CNN en Español before running for office [...]" [Palm Beach Post, 4/7/24]
El Nuevo Herald Identificó A Salazar Como Ex Locutora De Miami According to El Nuevo Herald, "Sin embargo, desbancar a Salazar, una conocida ex locutora de Miami, pudiera resultar difícil." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 4/27/24]
Tampa Bay Times Reported Salazar As A Former Spanish-Language TV Journalist According to Tampa Bay Times, "both parties see the former Spanish-language TV journalist as a uniquely talented politician." [Tampa Bay Times, 5/16/24]
NBC Reported María Elvira Salazar Was A Broadcast Journalist With Univision Before Congress According to NBC - 8 WFLA, "Prior to serving in Congress, Salazar was a well-known broadcast journalist with Univision." [NBC - 8 WFLA, 6/8/24]
Salazar Highlighted Past Success Of 'María Elvira Live' At Mega TV According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Entre las experiencias que rescata de su primera etapa en Mega TV, la periodista destaca María Elvira Live, "el espacio que logró ocupar el número uno en una franja tradicionalmente dominada por las telenovelas".' [El Nuevo Herald, 1/9/16]
January 2018: María Elvira Salazar Announced Her Departure From MegaTV As Journalist And Anchor According to El Nuevo Herald, "Ese canal de televisión anunció el viernes en Facebook que la periodista y presentadora del noticiero María Elvira Salazar se despidió de su audiencia. Salazar, a su vez, informó al finalizar el noticiero que había terminado otra etapa de su carrera en MegaTV como periodista." [El Nuevo Herald, 1/14/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Teased A Major Upcoming Project After Leaving MegaTV According to El Nuevo Herald, "Hace dos años que comencé este noticiero y hoy le pongo un punto final. Tengo un proyecto gigante que pronto anunciaré (...) MegaTV renueva su programación comenzando la semana próxima y por eso le doy la bienvenida a Mario Andrés Moreno en su nuevo espacio de Mega News", dijo Salazar. [El Nuevo Herald, 1/14/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Highlighted Her Experience As Journalist And Miami Presenter According to El Nuevo Herald, "Por el lado republicano se han presentado candidatos fuera del espectro político, entre ellos las cubanoamericanas María Elvira Salazar, conocida periodista y presentadora de Miami, y la hija del popular cantante cubano Willy Chirino, Angie, quien es maestra y cantautora." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 5/4/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Fue Periodista En Telemundo, Univisión Y CNN Latino According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar, una afamada periodista que por años apareció en las pantallas de Telemundo, Univisión y CNN Latino". [El Nuevo Herald, 10/4/18]
October 2018: Salazar Was A Known Television Presenter According to El Nuevo Herald, "[...] agregó Salazar, una conocida presentadora de televisión." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/13/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Identified As Well-Known Journalist According to El Nuevo Herald, "Una reciente encuesta de Mason Dixon-Telemundo mostró un empate técnico entre María Elvira Salazar, una conocida periodista, y Donna Shalala, ex presidenta de la Universidad de Miami." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 10/15/18]
2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Was Well-Known To Older Spanish-Speaking Voters From Her Television Career According to Miami Herald, "Salazar is well-known by older Spanish-speaking voters from her time on TV while Shalala cannot speak Spanish, though she is well-known herself." [Miami Herald, 10/16/18]
October 2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Was A Former Spanish-Language Broadcast Journalist According to Miami Herald, "The firm found Shalala ahead of the former Spanish-language broadcast journalist by a 44 to 39 margin, with about 10 percent of voters undecided." [Miami Herald, 10/16/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Was A Recognized Presenter And Journalist In Miami, According To El Nuevo Herald According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar, una reconocida presentadora y periodista de Miami, retomó el estilo hostil del primer debate y empezó el cara a cara de este martes cargada de críticas contra Shalala." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/16/18]
October 2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Was A Former Spanish-Language Broadcaster According to Miami Herald, Jose Luis Castillo described Salazar as "the former Spanish-language broadcaster" in the context of her agreement to appear on Channel 10's 'This Week in South Florida.' [Miami Herald, 10/22/18]
2018: Maria Elvira Salazar Described As A Veteran Spanish-language TV Personality And Journalist According to Miami Herald, "A longtime Spanish-language TV personality and journalist, Salazar, 56, had easily won the GOP primary over veteran politicians. She told reporters that her television celebrity -- she spent three decades at Telemundo -- helped her turn 'viewers into voters.'" [Miami Herald, 11/6/18]
August 2019: Salazar Continued Journalism Work At América TeVé During Political Campaign According to El Nuevo Herald, "Por ahora se mantiene trabajando como periodista en un programa dominical, De noche con María Elvira, que se transmite por América TeVé. 'La ley no me lo impide, tengo que ganarme la vida haciendo algo, y siempre he sido periodista', comentó en respuesta a la preocupación de que pueda representar un conflicto de intereses al postularse a un cargo público." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 8/1/19]
2020: Maria Elvira Salazar Was Identified As A Spanish-Language TV Veteran By Tampa Bay Times According to Tampa Bay Times, "Shalala's margin of victory (6 points) over Spanish-language TV veteran Republican Maria Elvira Salazar was smaller than Clinton's in 2016 (19 points)." [Tampa Bay Times, 7/24/20]
2020: Salazar Gained Name Recognition Among Cuban-American Voters As Spanish-Language TV Personality According to Miami Herald, "Also, Salazar is already a familiar face to many older Cuban voters in the district, from her long career in Spanish-language TV." [Miami Herald, 10/3/20]
1990s: Maria Elvira Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro According to Miami Herald, "As Maria Elvira Salazar runs to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in Congress, an opponent has highlighted cordial excerpts from a rare sit-down she scored in the mid 1990s with the late Communist leader and used them in an attack ad." [Miami Herald, 8/1/18]
2016: Salazar Commented On Castro's Death On Fox News According to Miami Herald, "alongside an English-language appearance on Fox News following Castro's death in 2016 in which Salazar referred to Barack Obama's rapprochement as 'noble.'" [Miami Herald, 8/1/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Was Criticized For A 1990s Interview With Fidel Castro According to El Nuevo Herald, "un opositor ha destacado intercambios cordiales de una poco común entrevista exclusiva que Salazar le hizo a mediados de los años 1990 al ya fallecido gobernante cubano, y los ha usado en un anuncio de campaña para criticarla." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 8/1/18]
1995: Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro During UN 50th Anniversary Visit According to Miami Herald, "The interview with Castro took place in 1995, during his visit to New York to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations. Roberto Robaina, Cuba's foreign minister at the time, interceded to get Castro to consent to an exclusive on-camera interview with Salazar, who had been trying to get to the Cuban strongman for several years." [Miami Herald, 8/3/18]
Salazar Regarded Castro Interview As Career Highlight According to Miami Herald, "She added that she considers the interview as 'one of the greatest achievements,' alongside other interviews she obtained throughout her professional career with high-profile figures, such Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 2003. Salazar also moderated a historic debate in 1996 between the late anti-Castro exile leader Jorge Mas Canosa and Ricardo Alarcón, former president of Cuba's National Assembly." [Miami Herald, 8/3/18]
1995: Salazar Claimed Interview Featured 'Very Tough' Questions For Castro According to Miami Herald, "The interview lasted an hour and included 'very tough' questions, Salazar said. Those questions, she said, included important issues for Cubans. Among them: difficulties islanders were experiencing during the so-called 'Special Period' following the loss of subsidies from the former Soviet Union; the call for elections in Cuba; and criticism over providing a safe haven for American fugitives." [Miami Herald, 8/3/18]
1995: Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro During UN Anniversary Visit According to El Nuevo Herald, "La entrevista con Castro se realizó en 1995, durante su visita a Nueva York con motivo del 50 aniversario de la creación de las Naciones Unidas." [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
1995: Salazar Obtained Castro Interview Through Diplomatic Intercession According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Roberto Robaina, canciller de Cuba en ese momento, intercedió con Castro para que le ofreciera la exclusiva a Salazar, que llevaba varios años intentando entrevistarlo.' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Considered The Castro Interview One Of Her Career's Major Achievements According to El Nuevo Herald, 'recordó Salazar, que considera la entrevista como "uno de los grandes logros de mi carrera", a la par de otras realizadas a lo largo de su trayectoria profesional, como la que hizo a Augusto Pinochet en el 2003, y la conducción del debate entre Jorge Mas Canosa y Ricardo Alarcón en 1996.' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
1995: Salazar Noted Interview Lasted One Hour And Included Tough Questions According to El Nuevo Herald, 'La periodista señaló además que la entrevista duró una hora y que incluyó preguntas "muy duras".' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
1995: Salazar Addressed Key Cuban Issues In Interview With Castro According to El Nuevo Herald, 'También dijo haber abordado con Castro temas importantes para los cubanos, como las dificultades del Período Especial, la necesidad de hacer elecciones y la protección que el gobierno ha dado en la isla a fugitivos de la justicia norteamericana.' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
1990s: Maria Elvira Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro According to News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida), "a rare sit-down she scored in the mid 1990s with the late Communist leader" Fidel Castro has resurfaced as an issue in Salazar's congressional campaign. [News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida), 8/6/18]
2018: Salazar Stated She Interviewed Fidel Castro And Augusto Pinochet According to El Nuevo Herald, "He entrevistado a los dos dictadores más importantes del siglo XX en América", dijo Salazar. "Cuando pude obtener esa entrevista con Fidel, fui elogiada, me felicitaron mucho por haber podido sentarme frente a él y hacerle preguntas difíciles". [El Nuevo Herald, 8/25/18]
Mid-1990s: Salazar Interviewed Cuban Leader Fidel Castro According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "She has worked in Spanish-language broadcast news since 1984 and interviewed Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the mid-1990s." [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/29/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Fue Destacada Periodista Y Reportera De Cadenas De Televisión En Español According to El Nuevo Herald, "La republicana María Elvira Salazar, de 56 años, es una muy conocida periodista y reportera de las cadenas de televisión en español que ha 'actuado con mucha inteligencia a la hora de atraer a los medios de prensa'." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 9/20/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Nombró A Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Como Su Mentora According to El Nuevo Herald, "Ella ha dejado un legado estelar, y ella va a ser mi mentora", resaltó Salazar. "Yo seguiré sus pasos, que conducen hacia el centro". [El Nuevo Herald, 10/4/18]
1995: María Elvira Salazar Called Fidel Castro 'Comandante' In Interview, According To El Nuevo Herald According to El Nuevo Herald, "la controversia que generó la divulgación de una entrevista de 1995 en la que su contrincante María Elvira Salazar llamó 'comandante' al gobernante cubano Fidel Castro." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/16/18]
1990s: Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro In New York According to Miami Herald, "In the primary election, she was taken to task by opponents for her one-hour, sometimes painfully ingratiating, interview with Fidel Castro in the 1990s during a visit to the United Nations in New York." [Miami Herald, 10/17/18]
1995: Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro As A Broadcast Journalist According to Miami Herald, "Shalala fought back by reviving an attack that Salazar's Republican primary opponents hurled at her over the summer -- that Salazar had treated Castro too warmly during a 1995 interview the former broadcast journalist conducted with the dictator." [Miami Herald, 10/17/18]
2020: Salazar Was Previously A TV Journalist And Highlighted Interviewing Uribe As Key Career Accomplishment According to Miami Herald, "Salazar, a former TV journalist who lists interviewing Uribe as a career accomplishment on her campaign website, has frequently appeared in videos with Juan David Vélez, a dual U.S.-Colombian citizen and member of the Colombian House of Representatives who represents Colombians abroad." [Miami Herald, 10/26/20]
2021: Salazar's Background Included Television Journalism In Spanish Media According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar, experiodista televisiva de canales en español y presentadora de televisión". [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 1/16/21]
Salazar Appeared On Sean Hannity Special On Fox News To Discuss Cuba Policy According to Miami Herald, "Democrats who are in favor of the Cuban embargo like New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and South Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz haven't gotten prime-time coverage for their Cuba policy work as Salazar and Sen. Marco Rubio did during a recent Sean Hannity special on Fox News from Versailles." [Miami Herald, 8/4/21]
1995: Fabiola Santiago Recalled María Elvira Salazar Interviewed Fidel Castro According to an opinion piece by Fabiola Santiago in Miami Herald, Salazar is described as "a former journalist who in 1995 got an exclusive and controversial one-on-one interview with none other than Fidel Castro." [Fabiola Santiago - Miami Herald, 12/8/23]
1995: Salazar Entrevistó A Fidel Castro According to El Nuevo Herald, "una ex periodista que en 1995 consiguió una exclusiva y polémica entrevista nada menos que con Fidel Castro." [El Nuevo Herald, 12/11/23]
Salazar Fue Periodista En Telemundo, CNN En Español Y Mega TV According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar es muy conocida en el sur de Florida por sus años como periodista de televisión en Telemundo, CNN En Español y Mega TV." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/11/24]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Defended 1995 Fidel Castro Interview From Political Attack Ad According to Miami Herald, "Cuban-American TV journalist María Elvira Salazar says she has no regrets about an interview she conducted with the late Cuban ruler Fidel Castro 23 years ago, which is now being used as a weapon by one of her opponents in the race for a seat in Congress." [Miami Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Clarified Use Of 'Comandante' And 'Un Revolucionario Por Excelencia' In Interview According to Miami Herald, "In the interview with Castro, Salazar said she chose to refer to him as 'comandante' to avoid calling him president and that the phrase 'un revolucionario por excelencia' (a revolutionary for excellence) was a way to set up a question that followed but does not appear in the ad." [Miami Herald, 8/3/18]
Salazar Asserted She Had Been A Major Critic Of Castroism In Miami According to Miami Herald, "Salazar said that those who think she was too complacent with Castro should review the programs she hosted for 15 years on Miami television. 'People know that I have been one of the biggest critics of Castroism in this city,' she said. 'That's why the regime detests me and that's why they have not allowed me to enter the island to do any reporting.'" [Miami Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Defended 1995 Fidel Castro Interview Amid Criticism According to El Nuevo Herald, "La periodista cubanoamericana María Elvira Salazar dice que no se arrepiente de la entrevista que le realizó al fallecido gobernante cubano Fidel Castro 23 años atrás, la cual está usando como un arma en su contra uno de sus oponentes en la carrera para el Congreso de Estados Unidos." [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Responded To Criticism Of Addressing Castro As 'Comandante' And 'Revolucionario Por Excelencia' According to El Nuevo Herald, "En el anuncio político se muestran fragmentos de la entrevista en la que se dirige al fallecido gobernante como 'comandante' y lo califica de 'revolucionario por excelencia.'" [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Explained Use Of 'Comandante' And 'Revolucionario Por Excelencia' In Interview Context According to El Nuevo Herald, 'Salazar explicó que eligió referirse a Castro como comandante para no llamarlo presidente y que la frase de "revolucionario por excelencia" fue una manera de presentar la pregunta que venía después.' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Reported Receiving Threats And Notified FBI According to El Nuevo Herald, 'En el pasado, Salazar ha recibido amenazas que la motivaron a notificarlas al FBI.' [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Stated Cuban Regime Targeted Her For Her Television Programs According to El Nuevo Herald, 'No es la primera vez que me atacan y no será la última, en la televisión me atacaron muchas veces, sobre todo el régimen cubano, por los programas que hacía contra ellos', concluyó Salazar. [El Nuevo Herald, 8/3/18]
2018: Salazar Claimed Record Of Criticism Of Cuban Revolution According to News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida), Salazar said, "I have been one of the staunchest, most hardest critics of the Cuban revolution on the air, and for this guy to come on the air and say I'm a Communist, I am livid" and described trying to play the Castro interview "down the middle" as an impartial journalist. [News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida), 8/6/18]
2018: Salazar Addressed Criticism Over Interview With Fidel Castro According to Miami Herald, "During her acceptance speech, Salazar denounced the 'misleading' attacks on her waged by all eight of her opponents, who claimed she ingratiated herself to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro during a rare interview she conducted with him in 1995." [Miami Herald, 8/28/18]
2018: María Elvira Salazar Did Not Express Regret For Interview With Castro, According To El Nuevo Herald According to El Nuevo Herald, "María Elvira Salazar no se arrepiente de entrevista con Castro y califica anuncio de oponente de 'perverso y venenoso'." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/16/18]
2018: Political Advertisements Criticized María Elvira Salazar For Fidel Castro Interview, According To El Nuevo Herald According to El Nuevo Herald, "El candidato Stephen Marks, que se ha descrito como un 'sicario político', está trasmitiendo fragmentos de una entrevista de María Elvira Salazar a Fidel Castro en 1995 en que le dice 'comandante' y 'un revolucionario por excelencia.'" [El Nuevo Herald, 10/16/18]
August 2018: Salazar Was Accused By Primary Opponents Of Treating Castro Too Warmly In 1995 Interview According to Miami Herald, "Salazar's opponents in the primary used the interview to label Salazar a Castro sympathizer. She called the interview snippets 'poisonous' and 'not trying to illustrate the truth' -- and then blew away the field anyway, winning by double digits." [Miami Herald, 10/17/18]
1995: Shalala Accused Salazar Of Treating Castro Friendly In Interview According to El Nuevo Herald, "Shalala se defendió al reavivar un ataque que los opositores republicanos de Salazar lanzaron durante el verano: que Salazar había tratado a Castro muy amigablemente durante una entrevista en 1995 que la ex periodista de televisión le hizo al dictador. [...] 'Tengo una oponente que trató a Castro con enorme respeto, le hizo una reverencia y lo llamó 'el comandante'. Nunca haría eso, ni me pondría al lado de ninguno de ellos en ningún momento', dijo Shalala." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/17/18]
Summer 2018: Opponents Used Salazar's 1995 Castro Interview To Label Her A Castro Sympathizer According to El Nuevo Herald, "Los oponentes de Salazar en la primaria usaron la entrevista para etiquetarla como simpatizante de Castro. Ella calificó los fragmentos que se usaron de la entrevista como 'venenosos' y de 'no tratar de ilustrar la verdad', y luego arrasó en las urnas." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/17/18]
2018: Salazar Denied Calling Castro 'Comandante' And Accused Opponents Of Misrepresenting Her Interview According to El Nuevo Herald, "Ella calificó los fragmentos que se usaron de la entrevista como 'venenosos' y de 'no tratar de ilustrar la verdad', y luego arrasó en las urnas." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/17/18]
October 2018: Salazar's 1995 Interview With Fidel Castro Was Cited As Controversy In Her Campaign According to El Nuevo Herald, "En las elecciones primarias, sus contrincantes cuestionaron su entrevista de una hora, a veces dolorosamente zalamera, con Fidel Castro en 1995 durante una visita a las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York." [El Nuevo Herald, 10/22/18]
2018: South Florida Sun-Sentinel Recalled María Elvira Salazar Faced 'Socialist' Label Attacks During Primary According to an opinion piece in South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "A rival called Salazar, who is Cuban-American, a fan of Cuba's late communist dictator Fidel Castro simply because she'd interviewed Castro in 1995. One especially underhanded attack ad edited the interview to make it look and sound as if she'd fallen in love with el comandante. The spot asked: 'Whose side are you on, Maria?'" [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 11/9/20]
2018: GOP Primary Rivals Accused María Salazar of Supporting Fidel Castro According to an opinion piece by Tim Padgett in Miami Herald, "Just two years ago, the former TV journalist faced sleazy accusations during her Republican primary bid for Florida's 27th congressional district. A rival called Salazar, who is Cuban American, a fan of Cuba's late communist dictator Fidel Castro simply because she'd interviewed Castro in 1995. One especially underhanded attack ad edited the interview to make it look and sound as if she'd fallen in love with el comandante. The spot asked: 'Whose side are you on, Maria?'" [Tim Padgett - Miami Herald, 11/9/20]
2019: Salazar Characterized Maduro's Message To Trump As 'Desperate' According to El Nuevo Herald, "Salazar, quien durante su campaña al Congreso fustigó en distintas ocasiones a Maduro, calificó el mensaje enviado por el gobernante bolivariano de Caracas como uno de desesperación." [El Nuevo Herald, 1/17/19]
2019: Salazar Interpreted Maduro's Message As An Economic Plea To Trump According to El Nuevo Herald, "La realidad es que aquí hay un grito desesperado de parte de ellos hacia Trump, diciéndole 'queremos sentarnos, porque sabemos que económicamente están estrangulados'", explicó Salazar al ser consultada por sus colegas sobre su lectura de la entrevista. [El Nuevo Herald, 1/17/19]
2018: Salazar's Broadcast Journalism Career Preceded Her Political Run According to Miami Herald, "Salazar told reporters after the celebration -- which included a personalized conga jingle -- that she never envisioned leaving the pinnacle of an award-winning broadcast journalism career to run for office." [Miami Herald, 8/28/18]
Salazar Formerly Worked As A TV Journalist Prior To Congressional Run According to Miami Herald, 'Salazar, a former TV journalist who left the business as she decided to enter politics and run for the Miami congressional seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.' [Miami Herald, 9/27/18]
María Elvira Salazar Described Her Exit From Journalism After Congressional Election According to El Nuevo Herald, '"Una vez que me eligieron al Congreso, la Comisión de Ética me informó que no puedo hacer un espectáculo como este todas las semanas", dijo Salazar. Añadió más tarde: "De una manera, termino mi carrera periodística con este programa".' [El Nuevo Herald, 2/3/21]
2021: Salazar Ended Television Show After Election To Congress According to Miami Herald, "Salazar said she was not awarded additional Cano stock since April 2020, when her financial disclosure form filed as a congressional candidate first listed the Cano shares, and December 2020, when she ended her TV show after getting elected to Congress in November." [Miami Herald, 9/10/21]
2021: María Elvira Salazar Left Television Career To Join Congress According to El Nuevo Herald, "En el 2021, Salazar tuvo que dejar su carrera televisiva de 30 años para cumplir con las reglas que rigen a los representantes federales en el Congreso. El último espacio que presentó fue De Noche Con María Elvira Salazar [...]" [El Nuevo Herald, 8/19/22]
April 2025: María Elvira Salazar Compared Congressional Work To Her Prior Television Career According to El Nuevo Herald, "Trabajé en la televisión 35 años, y este trabajo es muchísimo más difícil que estar en la televisión", aseguró la congresista. [El Nuevo Herald, 4/19/25]