[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 29, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1250-H1251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               VENEZUELA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, 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

[[Page H1251]]

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.
  The United States is standing with the Venezuelan people, sanctioning 
65 of the most corrupt and abusive members of the Maduro regime, 
including Maduro himself. Congress and the administration are also 
working to alleviate the grave humanitarian crisis that the Maduro 
regime has caused, providing nearly $100 million in humanitarian aid to 
those Venezuelans who have fled to other countries and an additional 
$37 million in development assistance to Colombia.
  Earlier this year, my colleague, Congressman Darren Soto, and I 
worked together to introduce the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 which would 
provide Temporary Protective Status to Venezuelan nationals here in the 
United States. The situation in Venezuela is way too dangerous to force 
them to return now.
  Sadly, Mr. Speaker, the humanitarian crisis rivals the grave 
democratic crisis in Venezuela. Under Venezuela's socialism, its people 
are suffering skyrocketing inflation, profound destitution, and 
shortages of necessary food and medicine.
  Venezuela was once, just recently, one of the wealthiest countries in 
the world. Now the vast majority of Venezuelan people have sunk into 
poverty. Hospitals are abandoned, Mr. Speaker, and food and medicines 
are scarce. But, Mr. Speaker, we have entered a time of critical 
importance. Rarely is there such an obvious choice between good and 
evil, freedom and enslavement, and accountable government and tyranny.
  From Venezuela's one last vestige of democracy came a glimmer of 
hope. From the democratically elected National Assembly, a leader 
emerged who was courageous enough to lead the opposition and face 
certain persecution. Juan Guaido stepped up to represent the Venezuelan 
people and work with the international community toward a democratic 
transition to unite the many voices in the opposition behind a common 
purpose: freedom, human rights, and free and fair elections.
  He has designated his charge d'affaires here in the United States, 
Carlos Vecchio, whose leadership was welcomed by Secretary Pompeo and 
who is coordinating between the Guaido government and the United States 
Government.
  Already as President Guaido is gaining strength, we are seeing signs 
of cracks from the Maduro dictatorship. The United States must continue 
to be the world leader in defense of those struggling for democracy, 
and others in the world community who value freedom also must stand 
with the people of Venezuela in their quest for democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Eastern Europe have not forgotten that we 
stood with them during those decades in their struggle against 
Communism for decades. They were victorious; and today they are free, 
and they are allies. The people of Venezuela will also be victorious.
  (The English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as 
follows:)

       To the Venezuelan Armed Forces, this is the time to recover 
     your honor, to recover your dignity and stand with the 
     Venezuelan people in this noble cause, which is freedom.
       And to the brave Venezuelan people, you are not alone. The 
     Trump administration, the United States Congress, the United 
     States is with you.

       A las Fuerzas Armadas de Venezuela, este es el momento de 
     recuperar su honor, de recuperar su dignidad y ponerse de 
     lado del pueblo Venezolano en esta noble causa que es la 
     libertad.
       Y al valiente pueblo Venezolano, no estan solos. La 
     administracion del presidente Trump, el Congreso de los 
     Estados Unidos, si todo los Estados Unidos estan con ustedes.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida will provide a 
translation of his remarks to the Clerk.

                          ____________________