MIAMI -- Backed by an echelon of top Cuban-American endorsers, Mitt Romney laid out his own vision for an aggressive stance towards the Castro regime in Cuba, while laying into President Obama's policies, which he called "appeasement."

"This president has decided ... to give a gift to Castro, to allow remittances to come from the United States to go into Cuba and help the economy of Cuba. He's allowed more traveling into Cuba. Showing that olive branch, if you will," Romney said. "This president does not understand that by helping Castro, he is not helping the people of Cuba he is hurting them; he is not putting forward a policy of freedom, he is accommodating and encouraging a policy of oppression. And if I'm president of the United States, we will return to Helms-Burton and the law, and we will not give Castro any gifts!"

Speaking to members of the US-Cuba Democracy PAC, which lists as its purpose to "promote an unconditional transition in Cuba to democracy, the rule of law and the free market," Romney predicted the quick demise of Fidel Castro, who has ruled Cuba since 1959.

"If I’m fortunate to become the next president of the United States it is my expectation that Fidel Castro will finally be taken off this planet.  I doubt he’ll take any time in the sky he’ll find a nether region to be more to his comfort," Romney said.

"This is a critical time. I think you realize that. We've waited a long, long time for the opportunity that is represented by a new president, and by new leadership, or by old leadership finally kicking the bucket in Cuba," Romney said. "I want to be the American president that is proud to be able to say that I was president at the time that we brought freedom back to the people of Cuba"

And while Romney himself never explained exactly what a Romney administration would do to bring about that freedom, his campaign released a detailed white paper at the close of his speech, outlining ten steps Romney would take -- including rolling back increased remittances and travel permits put in place by President Obama -- to put pressure on the Castro regime.

If he were not so lucky as to have the Castro brothers "kick the bucket" on his watch, Romney boasted of a negotiation background learned in the business world, which he says taught him the skills he would need to negotiate with "tyrants" like Fidel and Raul Castro.

For Romney, who a CNN/Time Magazine poll released today shows leading Newt Gingrich in Florida by only a 2 percent margin, winning the Cuban-American vote in this region of the state could prove crucial. In 2008, he came in third place in Miami Dade county, behind both John McCain and Rudy Giuliani. This cycle, a number of powerful, Cuban-American politicians, including Former Senator Mel Martinez an the Diaz-Balart brothers, who backed McCain in 2008 are supporting Romney instead.

A Univision News poll released Wednesday suggested that Romney has the early advantage among Florida Latinos heading into next Tuesday's GOP primary. Thirty-five percent of Sunshine State Latinos would vote for Romney in the primary, versus 20 percent who would support Gingrich.

Restrictions on family travel and remittances to Cuba have emerged as one of the final sticking points in reaching a deal on end-of-year government funding legislation stalled before Congress.

Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) and Democratic aides cited a provision inserted into the so-called "megabus" as a sticking point in reaching a deal on the bill, which would fund the government through the end of its fiscal year next September.

"I know that this is a lot of, maybe it sounds like theater, but it is the result of people simply making an anti-Castro statement without thinking of the consequences," Serrano said.

The policy rider, introduced by Florida GOP Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, was included as an amendment to the Financial Services Appropriations bill, and would revert travel restrictions and rules regarding remittances to Cuba back to where they were before the Obama administration took action on the issue.

"What you have is a situation where, in a desire to get bills through, and I under that there are nine bills that need to be approved, this one last sticking point is still hanging around, without people fully understand the ramifications of what it means to people," Serrano said.

President Obama changed restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba in 2009. Since then, Serrano said, that over 300,000 people have scheduled travel to Cuba, something that could be jeopardized if this provision is passed.

"For the first time this past summer, people did something that is very common with Dominicans, and Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans, they sent their children to spend time with Grandma in Cuba and learn Spanish and so on," Serrano said. "The irony of this is 52 years later Castro is still an issue in Congress."

The Republican Chairman to the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Hal Rogers (KY), admitted to journalists that there were "still some things yet to be completed," but said he was "optimistic" that they would strike a deal.

Congress has until midnight Friday to pass a piece of legislation that extends government funding for the 2012 fiscal year.  If they fail to do so, the government will shut down.