LeMieux Condemns Venezuelan Crackdown on Peaceful Demonstrations
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) today announced he will introduce a Senate resolution condemning the ongoing violent crackdowns of peaceful demonstrators by the Venezuelan government. A student movement began when Venezuelan authorities pressured cable carriers to stop carrying opposition station RCTV International.
Senator LeMieux said:
“Today I stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people who are being represented by thousands of students, peacefully demonstrating in the streets of Caracas for a better future and a restoration of Venezuelan democracy. I strongly urge the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to condemn the violent crackdown by the Chavez regime against these young demonstrators.
“Mr. Chavez represents an aggressive group of “strongmen” or caudillos in our hemisphere that are determined to do away with representative democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Looking the other way while people are repressed for peacefully expressing their views is bad policy and emboldens those actively working to undermine democratic institutions elsewhere in the Hemisphere and at organizations such as the Organization of American States. We must do more to hold leaders like Mr. Chavez accountable for their deplorable actions.”
