Wasserman Schultz on Announced Economic Sanctions on Venezuela

Washington, August 6, 2019 “It is disingenuous to advance economic sanctions without providing protections for the Venezuelans who have fled here because of the conditions necessitating those sanctions.”

(Sunrise, FL) – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) issued the following statement today on the Executive Order sanctioning the Venezuelan government:

“I agree with the Administration on this latest effort to crack down on the Maduro regime, which has been welcomed by Juan Guaidó, the legitimate President of Venezuela. However, President Trump and the Republican Senate continue to fail the Venezuelan people by refusing to act on Temporary Protected Status. Granting TPS should have been coupled with this tightening of economic sanctions because it is unreasonable and inhumane to expect Venezuelans to return to their country when it is too dangerous and conditions have not improved.

I’m tired of Republicans treating Venezuelans like human political opportunities instead of respected members of our communities and country. We can be tough on the Maduro regime while also giving Venezuelans in the U.S. who have fled hunger and repression certainty about their legal status. It is disingenuous to advance economic sanctions without providing protections for the Venezuelans who have fled here because of the conditions necessitating those sanctions.”