US Congress members are slamming Donald Trump’s decision to recognize a Venezuelan opposition leader as the country’s interim president.
“WE MUST NOT GO DOWN LATIN AMERICAN ROAD AGAIN”
Trump’s decision last week worsened the US row with the elected government of President Nicholas Maduro, who calls American intervention in Venezuelan affairs a “coup” attempt. “We must learn the lessons of the past and not be in the business of regime change or supporting coups,” said Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a former Democratic presidential hopeful. “The US has a long history of inappropriately intervening in Latin American nations; we must not go down that road again.”
Three other Democratic members of Congress — California’s Ro Khanna, Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar, and Hawaii’s Tulsi Gabbard — have also condemned the US policy on Venezuela. “A US-backed coup in Venezuela is not a solution to the dire issues they face,” tweeted Omar, one of the first Muslim women elected to the US Congress.
“A US-BACKED COUP”
Omar added that instead of pursuing policies that may incite violence and instability, the US should make efforts to facilitate a peaceful dialogue in Venezuela. “The US should not anoint the leader of the opposition in Venezuela during an internal, polarized conflict,” wrote Khanna on Twitter.
Tulsi Gabbard, who is running for president in 2020, tweeted, “The United States needs to stay out of Venezuela.” “Let the Venezuelan people determine their future. We don’t want other countries to choose our leaders — so we have to stop trying to choose theirs.” she added.
The Democratic Socialists of America, whose members include Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also called Trump’s decision to legitimize Guaido a “US-backed coup.”