On the recordMay 23, 2017
I thank Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Albio Sires for their incredible work on this issue and all of their passion. I also thank the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee chairman, Congressman Duncan. I know how much he has worked on the issue of Venezuela, and Latin America also. The people of Venezuela are in dire need of humanitarian assistance to endure critical food and medicine shortages. The desperation, oppression, and violence in Venezuela really are reaching a breaking point. Three out of four Venezuelans have lost significant weight during the last year due to food shortages. In 2016, the nation suffered a homicide rate of 91.8 per 100,000 people, making Venezuela the second most violent country in the world outside of a war zone. We have reason to believe more than half of Venezuelans want to leave their home country. Last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said Colombia should expect an ``avalanche'' of Venezuelan refugees, an influx that could complicate this critical time for Colombia's own peace agreement. Meanwhile, President Maduro's government is taking increasingly antidemocratic actions in violation of Venezuela's own constitution. Since Venezuela's supreme court attempted to dissolve the country's legislature in March, the Venezuelan people have sustained massive protests, leading to a brutal crackdown from government security forces.…
