Political Quotes

“Stability in the Western Hemisphere is in jeopardy due to the political and economic pressures occurring in Venezuela. Misguided financial decisions, attacks on entrepreneurship, and socialist policies have led the economy in Venezuela to a free fall. With oil prices continuing to decrease, Venezuela is suffering from large budget shortfalls due to its large dependency on oil sales. To try to make up for the deficiency, the Venezuelans have a foreign debt of over $100 billion and have had to cut its oil shipments to some Caribbean and Central American nations. This paradigm shift can lead to an opening for the U.S. to get more involved in the region and deter the large democratic setbacks that we have experienced in recent years. Venezuela's economic crisis is combined with its political problems and, Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge this body to stand in solidarity with the freedom-seeking people of Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro's intransigent, brutal regime continues to desperately and violently silence dissonant voices who believe in freedom, in democracy, and in respect for human rights. Just last week, democracy advocate Maria Corina Machado was summoned to a kangaroo court in Caracas. This courageous woman was, until recently, a member of the Venezuelan National Assembly until she was illegally removed from her seat in Congress by the Venezuelan thugs. Why was she removed from that seat? Because she spoke up for the people of Venezuela.…”