WASHINGTON, D.C.–As the violence continued in Venezuela, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) took to the Senate floor to praise the Venezuelan protesters for standing for freedom and to call for the United States to take action. Sen. Cruz stated that because of Iranian involvement in Venezuela, the U.S. should reintroduce sanctions against Iran. He also denounced Cuba’s ongoing efforts to preserve the status-quo in Venezuela.
“This is the moment to point out that Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro’s abuse of his fellow citizens is intolerable to the United States,” Sen. Cruz said. “If he wants better relations with us, he should start by listening to the demands of his own people. He should lift the cloud of censorship that he is using to isolate Venezuelans from each other and from the rest of the world.”
Cruz explained that the United States should do all it can to help the people in Venezuela as they attempt to find a new path that includes freedom and prosperity. Cruz claimed this would “return this one-time enemy to its traditional role of our partner and friend. It would benefit them, it would benefit us, and it would benefit the world.”
Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez is being detained, Cruz said, “Lopez’ only crime has been to propose a free-market alternative to the repressive socialist policies that have resulted in the rampant inflation and chronic shortages that are making life in Venezuela insufferable.” He called for Lopez to be released immediately.
Sugarland Republican activist Debbie Fancher had dual U.S. and Venezuelan citizenship as a child. Her mother is an American of Hispanic descent and a fourth generation Texan. Her late father was Venezuelan and she now has family and close friends living through the nightmare going on her country of birth. Fancher is also president of the Spirit of Freedom Republican Women’s Club in Sugarland. She responded to Sen. Cruz’ comments in an interview with Breitbart News.
“I want to personally thank Senator Ted Cruz for his remarks in the Senate Chamber,” Fancher began. “The Venezuelan-Americans in this country need to see which party supports Venezuelan patriots and which party understands the cancer that is Communism.”
Sen. Cruz, later in his floor speech, set his focus on his father’s native country, Cuba. He highlighted Cuba’s participation in the brutal crackdown on the Venezuelan protesters. He pointed out that over the fifteen year reign of Hugo Chavez’ rule, Venezuela and Cuba engaged in a mutually parasitic relationship in which Venezuela exported free oil to Cuba and imported the repressive apparatus of a police state that Raul and Fidel Castro have carefully nurtured over the last fifty years.
Fancher agrees with Sen. Cruz and said, “It is extremely important that we go after Cuba first. Merely to help Venezuela would be putting a Band-Aid on the situation.”
I’ve received information,” Fancher continued, “from family and friends on the ground that there is a Chinese, Iranian and Russian presence in Venezuela. This is horrible news since it directly makes us helping Venezuela not only a human rights issue but a national security issue as well.”
“I am compiling a list,” Fancher explained, “of all the names of the murdered Venezuelans as well as those incarcerated for speaking out against the regime. Some of whom are being tortured in prisons. Some are being tortured on the streets. We can’t sit back and let this happen so close to our own shores.”
“While my concern is personal, I believe anyone who believes in human rights must take a stand,” Fancher concluded.
Sen. Cruz’ press release today stated, “In the event that Venezuela embraces free-market and political reforms, the Senator also urged that the U.S. help Venezuela reach its full energy potential by offering a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that would cover the energy sector. Such an arrangement would protect American companies eager to invest in Venezuela, and at the same time modernize facilities and increase production of crude – which could be refined at the CITGO facilities at Corpus Christi. This would result in gasoline and other refined petroleum products that can be sold on the open market for the benefit of the Venezuelan people, without propping up the Castro regime in Cuba.”
Fancher provided the following list of names of victims who have been murdered for standing up for liberty. She asked that others join her in prayer for these deceased and their families as well as for those who continue to stand for freedom in Venezuela. Those killed are, Bassil Alejandro Da Costa Frías, Juan Montoyam, Roberto José Redman Orozco, Génesis Carmona, Wilmer Jhonny Carballo, Geraldine Moreno Orozco, José Alejandro Márquez, José Ernesto Méndez, Julio González, Arturo Alexis Martínez, Elvis Rafael Durán, Danny Joel Melgarejo Vargas, and Jimmy Vargas.
Sen. Cruz concluded his remarks calling on the Obama Administration to halt its failed repeated attempts at diplomatic rapprochement with Maduro’s oppressive regime and instead look for ways to empower the Venezuelan protesters fighting for prosperity and freedom.
Follow Bob Price on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX
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