Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “Today I rise to call on all of those who support freedom and democracy to stand with the long-suffering people of…”

“Today I rise to call on all of those who support freedom and democracy to stand with the long-suffering people of Venezuela. We have finally reached the tipping point where freedom for the Venezuelan people hangs in the balance. On Friday, President Trump recognized the duly elected leader of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the constitutional interim President of Venezuela. Shortly afterward the vast majority of Western Hemisphere nations affirmed their recognition of the Guaido government. On January 10 the OAS passed a resolution, Mr. Speaker, that refused to recognize the illegitimate Maduro regime, and OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro expressed his congratulations to Mr. Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate sitting President. Now, Mr. Speaker, it is time to choose to stand with the courageous protesters demanding freedom, many of them bruised and bloodied from the violence perpetrated on them by the Maduro thugs. Reports indicate that at least 29 protesters have been killed just since last week, and the Maduro regime holds hundreds of political prisoners. The Maduro regime has ruthlessly corrupted Venezuela's once-democratic institutions, including the Supreme Court. The U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights and others have documented egregious human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and torture. We have seen that the Venezuelan people continue to demand freedom in the face of teargas, imprisonment, and, yes, even bullets.…”