Secretary of State Mike Pompeo isn't mincing words in response to Democrat Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's comments earlier this week that the United States, not dictator Nicolas Maduro or socialist policies, are to blame for the current crisis in Venezuela.
"The challenges that face the Venezuelan people today are years and years in the making, long before American sanctions were put in place months and months ago, whether that was putting military individuals in charge of their oil wealth – the largest known substantiated oil reserves in the world belong to Venezuela. Not the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, not the United States, not Russia, but Venezuela, and they put a general in charge, and of course it falls into disrepair," Pompeo said during an interview on The Ben Shapiro Show. "The corruption, the kleptocracy, is legion, and that all long predates Americans’ effort – America’s effort to build out a 54-nation coalition to restore democracy. To suggest that the troubles – when there are 200 metric tons of food sitting on the Venezuelan border that came from the taxpayers of the United States of America through our good graces – to suggest somehow that America is remotely connected to the harm befalling the Venezuelan people is sick and dangerous."
As a reminder of what Omar said.
WOW: @IlhanMN says the U.S. has "helped lead the devastation in #Venezuela," and accuses the U.S. on "bullying" the Maduro regime.
— John Cooper (@thejcoop) May 1, 2019
Apparently Maduro's starvation of his people and armored trucks running them over in the streets is not worthy of criticism in her eyes. pic.twitter.com/leTcRHWDVd
Meanwhile, the United States continues to back Venezuelan President Juan Guiado.
Only the Venezuelan people can determine the future of Venezuela. Maduro is only clinging to power because of the support of Russia and Cuba, the only foreign military forces in Venezuela. Without foreign interference, the democratic process in Venezuela would be underway today.
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) May 3, 2019
What we are seeing today in #Venezuela is the will of the people to peacefully change the course of their country from one of despair to one of freedom and democracy. The U.S. stands with them and @jguaido now and always. #EstamosUnidosVE
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) April 30, 2019