US President Joe Biden’s Venezuela policy is receiving renewed criticism from conservatives following increased reports of Venezuelan criminal activity within the US.
Numerous reports have recently linked Tren de Aragua, Venezuela’s largest gang, to over 100 criminal events in the US.
One such case included a shooting of New York Police officers on June 3rd by an alleged Tren de Aragua member.
US Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) claimed Tren de Aragua’s US infiltration is being caused by Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro.
While appearing on Fox, Representative Salazar stated Dictator Maduro has “opened up the jails, and those (criminals) are the people winding up here.”
The million dollar question:
Why doesn't the Biden Administration believe that the Maduro regime is a threat to the Hemisphere? pic.twitter.com/As9tvMJPGj
— María Elvira Salazar 🇺🇸 (@MaElviraSalazar) June 17, 2024
Salazar suggested President Biden change course vis-a-vis Venezuela to better handle the Maduro-induced gang crisis.
”We should treat Venezuela with the utmost rigor and let them know they cannot do this anymore, but people in the Western hemisphere do not respect President Biden because they see him weak,” said Salazar.
Salazar also alluded to Biden’s failed diplomatic efforts to convince Maduro of hosting free and fair Presidential elections this July.
Earlier in the year, Biden had lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gold sectors in exchange for assurances the country would be committed to holding fair elections.
Throughout the course of the year, Maduro cashed in millions of dollars in oil exports to the US while increasing attacks on his political competition.
Namely, Maduro barred opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from facing him in the upcoming presidential elections.
After months of failed negotiations and domestic pressure, Biden ultimately renewed oil and gold sanctions.
Venezuela’s Presidential elections will be held on July 28 in what many have claimed is an already sealed deal for Maduro.
