Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Wants Obama to Stand Up to Maduro Regime

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., one of the leading Republicans dealing with foreign affairs in the U.S. House and chairwoman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, took aim at the Maduro regime on Thursday, noting increased actions against democratic activists in Venezuela this week.

Maduro continues to trample on human rights in Venezuela as reports surface that the regime may attempt to move Leopoldo from his cell through violent tactics and has arrested the mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma, by force, Ros-Lehtinen said on Thursday. The Maduro regime is crippling before our very eyes and its actions have become more aggressive as desperation sets in to attempt to silence the people of Venezuela who are yearning for democratic freedoms.

These repressive attacks cannot go unabated and denote the repressive nature of the regime, which serves as a poignant reminder that the Obama administration needs to immediately and effectively enforce the sanctions signed into law to send a signal that we will not let these acts go unpunished, Ros-Lehtinen added. I remain extremely concerned over the well-being of Leopoldo and all the political prisoners in Venezuela, and call on the U.S. and all freedom loving nations to strongly condemn Maduro for his reign of violence.