Since Nicolás Maduro came to power in Venezuela after the death of Hugo Chavez, the country fell into a socialist dictatorship that expelled millions of people due to poor living conditions. The United States imposed several sanctions for repeated human rights violations. However, in the eyes of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, it was precisely these sanctions that caused the current situation of South Americans.
In a recent interview with the CBS program "Face the Nation," the Democratic congresswoman directly blamed US foreign policy for causing people to leave Venezuela and enter or attempt to enter the United States.
AOC began by calling for immigration reform and then asked to "examine the route of the problem," that is, what causes citizens of other countries to end up at the southern border seeking to enter the "land of the free and the home of the brave." Precisely, that was when she pointed out some "sanctions" supposedly imposed by Donald Trump and Marco Rubio.
To actually address the asylum crisis, we must start with the US foreign policy and global dynamics creating it.
The broad Trump/Rubio sanctions have played a major role in driving millions of people out of Venezuela. Serious discussions about asylum seekers should address that. https://t.co/WjAdQvqe4q
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 24, 2023
According to the congresswoman, these sanctions " precipitated" and were very important in "the expulsion of the population to our southern border," particularly from Venezuela.
AOC reaffirmed her rhetoric on her X account, formerly known as Twitter. "To actually address the asylum crisis, we must start with the US foreign policy and global dynamics creating it. The broad Trump/Rubio sanctions have played a major role in driving millions of people out of Venezuela. Serious discussions about asylum seekers should address that," she wrote.
"Pathetic": responses to AOC's comments about Venezuela
Her statements did not go unnoticed on social media and several users decided to respond in a not-so-friendly way.
For example, one of the users cited her post and replied that "blaming the US for the absolute dumpster fire that is the Venezuelan government is just pathetic. Even worse that these same ilk held Venezuela up as an amazing success story of their's for a decade, but now that the chicken's have come home to roost it's a different tune."
"It is a total LIE that sanctions are primarily responsible for the Venezuelan disaster that STARTED with Chávez. Of course, it is useless to expect sincerity from a CRIMINAL like AOC, who is absolutely the same SH** as Chavismo and stinking communism," wrote another.
When was the last time Ocasio-Cortez spoke to a Venezuelan immigrant? Never… Venezuelans didn’t want to leave their beautiful and bountiful country but they were forced by socialist ideology, the same propaganda @AOC is promoting.
Don’t be fooled, this will not end well for…
— unifyforfreedom (@unifyforfreedom) September 24, 2023
Another user also targeted the Democratic Party for not taking responsibility for the results of the rhetoric and immigration policy they have used since the Biden Administration began. "And so next time a Harvard latinX tries to convince you Hispanics are leaving the democratic parties because they’re racist, maybe think about how the Party stars are affecting the situation," they said.
In turn, another person accused the congresswoman of misinforming her followers about the situation in Venezuela. "When was the last time Ocasio-Cortez spoke to a Venezuelan immigrant? Never… Venezuelans didn’t want to leave their beautiful and bountiful country but they were forced by socialist ideology, the same propaganda AOC is promoting. Don’t be fooled, this will not end well for America," she fired on X.
