[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Venezuela

  Mr. President, on a different matter, as the Maduro regime continues 
its attempt to steal an election, the people of Venezuela are standing 
up forcefully against the predations of a hellish socialist 
dictatorship.
  Across the country, working Venezuelans are protesting in the 
streets. They have torn down a statue of Maduro's socialist 
predecessor, Hugo Chavez. In at least one instance, security forces 
have removed their uniforms and refused to use force against the 
demonstrators.
  The people of Venezuela are putting up an inspired resistance. 
Unfortunately, they are up against an authoritarian who will stop at 
nothing to retain his grip on power. After all, Maduro has learned from 
the worst--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, Damascus, and Havana--and he has no 
shortage of useful idiots and fifth columns at his disposal.
  Some of the same corners of social media that defended Bashar Assad, 
spun conspiracies about Ukraine, and demonized Israel are now laughably 
accusing the CIA--believe it or not--of masterminding Venezuela's 
unrest.
  Meanwhile, supposedly mainstream media here in America are already 
hard at work whitewashing history. According to the New York Times, 
Venezuela's problem isn't the abject failure of socialism but the 
incursion of a supposed ``brutal capitalism.''
  George Orwell would like a word.
  Mr. President, the free world ought to have the courage to look evil 
in the face and call it what it actually is.