A union group called The Communication Workers of America Local 3178 distributed fliers to Hispanic residents of Miami Beach, claiming city commission candidate Luis Salom had business ties to Fidel Castro’s regime.

Salom worked for Cargill Inc., an international provider of food and agricultural services, from 1985 to 2000. His last title was vice president of sales and marketing for Latin America.

Cargill had foreign subsidiaries exporting goods to Cuba before 1992, when the United States banned such business, said John Kavulich, a senior advisor with the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. The company resumed trade with the island nation after 2000, he said.

Salom, who is of Cuban descent (In Miami? Surprise!) said the negative attention brought about by this smear campaign has forced him to hire security guards and maintains the allegations against him are “a complete lie,” adding he had nothing with Cuban trade.

Damn, son, you’re in quite a pickle. And not of the delicious, stuffed-into-a-sandwich-Cubano variety. At least you know if that whole “not doing illegal business with Castro” thing doesn’t work out, there’s always Venezuela and China.

Candidate denies Cuban ties cited in union mailer [The Miami Herald]