On the recordMay 23, 2017
All of us in the Western Hemisphere are in horror. Venezuela is a failed state and potentially on the brink of civil war. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that thousands of Cuban intelligence agents are helping the Maduro regime maintain control over the army, while Maduro orders his soldiers to shoot his own people who are demonstrating in the streets. We cannot let countries like China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba continue to play a role in propping up the Maduro regime. While I commend Treasury Secretary Mnuchin for issuing sanctions against individuals of the Venezuelan Supreme Court, I call on the administration to ratchet up the pressure on these outside forces and have them answer for their role in the emergency situation in Venezuela. While we face many challenges across the globe, America must reengage in the Western Hemisphere and not let the neighbors in our backyard slide back into tyranny. ____________________
