The Biden administration has approved a prisoner swap with the Maduro regime, which has received backlash from lawmakers and voters. In exchange for releasing seven jailed Americans, President Joe Biden has granted clemency to Efrain Antonio Campo Flores and Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, two nephews of Maduro’s wife.
Responding to the swap, the Rubio campaign has slammed Florida Rep. Val Demings (D) as having “turned her back” on Venezuelans by endorsing the swap.
The swap took place over the weekend, and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) quickly took to social media to air his frustration with the Biden administration’s decision.
“Biden released two convicted drug dealer nephews of Venezuela dictator Maduro in exchange for 7 innocent Americans being held hostage,” Rubio wrote, adding that the decision is “another Biden appeasement that will result in more anti-U.S. dictators taking more innocent Americans hostage in the future.”
The decision has left Florida Republicans perplexed as they frequently criticize communist regimes.
While Republicans have expressed their disapproval, Democrats like Demings have praised the Biden administration over its decision to make the swap, and Demings released a statement on social media to highlight the decision.
“I am thankful for the release of the seven Americans, including a Floridian, wrongfully detained in Venezuela,” wrote Demings, adding that “in the Senate, I will remain steadfast in my support to bring home those who are unlawfully detained by Maduro and his thugs.”
I am thankful for the release of the seven Americans, including a Floridian, wrongfully detained in Venezuela. In the Senate, I will remain steadfast in my support to bring home those who are unlawfully detained by Maduro and his thugs.
— Val Demings (@valdemings) October 1, 2022
Upon taking notice of this, the Rubio campaign released a statement not only criticizing the Biden administration but also chiding Demings over her support.
Laura Ortiz, the Hispanic Media Director for the Rubio campaign, argued that the president’s “release of Maduro’s narco-nephews and Demings’ support of the move will be remembered as the ultimate gift this administration has given the criminal Maduro regime,” adding that the senatorial hopeful “has turned her back on Venezuela’s Interim Government and shown Floridians she unequivocally defends Biden’s disastrous policy of appeasing tyrants in our region.”
