Wasserman Schultz Statement on Trump Administration Proposal for Transitional Government in Venezuela

Washington, March 31, 2020 Helping Venezuela peacefully return to democracy has always been a top priority for me and for our nation.”Helping Venezuela peacefully return to democracy has always been a top priority for me and for our nation. But the current Administration’s inconsistent strategy is problematic and will not bring us closer to freeing the Venezuelan people from the continuous and immeasurable harm inflicted on them by the authoritarian Maduro regime.

Today, Trump offered Maduro sanctions relief if Maduro agrees to participate in a transitional government. But less than a week ago, Trump indicted Maduro on charges of narco-terrorism. This haphazard strategy is clumsy and seemingly contradictory. With the coronavirus pandemic growing in Venezuela, Maduro’s authoritarian regime has been exposed as completely ill-equipped to take care of the people. We must develop a coherent strategy towards Venezuela so that we can find a pathway towards real relief for the Venezuelans who are overwhelmingly suffering in this troubling time.

First, that must include TPS for Venezuelans here in the U.S. The United States should not be sending Venezuelan refugees back to Venezuela, certainly not during a pandemic, on top of the already burgeoning crisis that predates it.”