Venezuela continues to be an important topic of discussion as calls begin to mount for Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro to step down from office.
And today, Texas Senators Ted Cruz (R) and John Cornyn (R) issued a statement calling on the Maduro regime to release six Citgo executives who have been detained since November 2017. Five of those 6 Citgo executives are from Texas.
In the joint statement, the Texas Senators announce that “Every day that passes for these families without their loved ones is excruciating.” They inform that “six men have been held in deteriorating conditions, made worse by the fact the Venezuelan government has denied them a trial and contact with the U.S. State Department.”
Senators Cornyn and Cruz comment that they “are gravely concerned for their health and safety as they continue to be used as political pawns by an illegitimate government.” And, the Texas Republicans “call for their immediate release and safe return to their families in Texas and Louisiana. Until then, we will continue to work with the Administration to ensure these aggressive actions by the Maduro regime are met with the appropriate action.”
Tension has risen in Venezuela as the horrors that the country’s citizens are going through have become prominent in the media. From the scarcity of food to the weaponizing of medicine to coerce people into voting for Maduro and even the torture that anti-communists face in sharing their views, leaders and lawmakers worldwide have not only slammed the Maduro regime but they’ve also vowed to act against any communist sympathies that might be held in contemporary times.
With Juan Guaidó announcing himself as the interim-President of Venezuela, President Donald Trump acknowledged the United States’ support and a bipartisan group of lawmakers also shared their support.
The Venezuelan government has not responded to the call of freeing the six Citgo executives.
