NOTICIAS

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement regarding the Venezuelan government’s successful bid to join the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council:

“The Venezuelan government has aligned itself with and supported the illicit activities of state sponsors of terrorism like Iran, North Korea and Syria, which all threaten America’s national security. It has supported Russian aggression against Ukraine. It has sided with terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are committed to Israel’s destruction. It has supported regional terrorism by the FARC and allowed drug cartels to conduct their narco-terrorism activities in the Western Hemisphere. It has routinely violated its international commitments by eroding democratic governance at home, trampling over the human rights of innocent Venezuelans, and supporting Cuba’s own human rights abuses as well.

“On every single issue where peace, democracy and human rights hang in the balance, the Venezuelan regime has stood on the side of aggression, destabilization and authoritarianism. As the events of this year have shown, this Venezuelan regime has the blood of innocent Venezuelans on its hands.

“For these and many more reasons, it is disgraceful that the Obama Administration failed to lift a finger in making the case why Venezuela’s membership on the U.N. Security Council is undeserved, further diminishes the legitimacy of this body, and ultimately sends a demoralizing message to the Venezuelan people who have suffered under the Chavez-Maduro regime. If any nation on earth should speak out against repressive governments like Venezuela, it should be the United States.”

Earlier this month, Rubio joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging Secretary of State John Kerry to lead a diplomatic effort against Venezuela’s bid.