February 13, 2014.-
WASHINGTON — Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) released the following statement after reports of violent aggression towards protesters by the Venezuelan government:
“Today, the people of Venezuela have been protesting the corruption, food shortages, soaring crime rates and unemployment, and the alarming erosion of human rights and civil society. Regrettably, Maduro’s thugs have countered these brave protesters with violence and imprisonment, leaving some seriously injured or dead.
“I urge the international community to affirm its commitment to the basic freedoms that are under brutal assault in Venezuela, and to stand with the Venezuelan people who are demanding democratic institutions free from corruption, and who are asserting their right to live free from oppression.”
