Vice President Joe Biden or “Sleepy Joe” as President Trump calls him, appears to have switched his presidential campaign on full-gaff/ self-destruct mode.
Biden is known to speak off the cuff, a trait that most Americans can relate to.
But Biden’s recent critique of Trump’s Venezuela policy is questionable considering his past experiences with the Chavez and Maduro regime.
“It’s clear Trump is only interested in using his policies to assault the dignity of the Hispanic community and scare voters to turn out on Election Day, while not addressing the real challenges facing our hemisphere,” said Biden
Biden penned an op-ed in the Miami Herald calling the Trump administration’s in Latin America “morally bankrupt” and that his actions against the Maduro regime in Venezuela were “badly misjudged.”
The former vice president focused on the fact that Trump has not yet granted Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Venezuelan refugees, accusing Trump of not caring for the Venezuelans.
One of Biden’s Democratic presidential opponents, Julian Castro, also told The Floridian that Trump ‘has failed the Venezuelan community” for not granting immediate TPS.
“Trump has badly misjudged what it will take to bring democracy back to Venezuela, and his increasing belligerence threatens the international coalition of more than 50 countries that recognize Juan Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela. To date, the administration has made every effort to capitalize politically on the Venezuelan crisis, but its refusal to grant TPS to the thousands of Venezuelans fleeing persecution shows it cares little about the Venezuelan people’s suffering.”
Biden was quickly called out by Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) who reminded Americans that while Biden was vice president, the Obama administration “opposed any sanctions” against Nicolas Maduro’s government, not to mention pushing back against the Republican-controlled congress’ move to impose economic sanctions on the oppressive regime.
Rubio pointed to a Latin News article titled, “Venezuela News: Obama Administration's Opposition to Sanctions Praised By Nicolás Maduro” which spells out Biden’s lack of action against Maduro.
The story reads:
“Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro hailed on Friday a statement from a top Obama administration official. He indicated the administration’s reluctance to pass sanctions against Venezuelan officials suspected of being involved in abuses against opposition protestors, saying he would name a new top diplomat for Washington in response. He also warned that if sanctions were to be passed, Venezuela would not “stand by with crossed arms,” adding that “we could reach the point where we wouldn’t have an embassy or a consulate in the United States."
Former Asst. Secretary of State at the time, Roberta Jacobsen, addressed congress at told them that the administration did not “believe a new law” was necessary, prompting a joyful Maduro to respond.
“We hail these types of declaration which are simply a leap toward good sense,” said Maduro
The Trump administration has levied real, crippling economic sanctions against Maduro and has received praise for doing so by regional countries like Brazil and Colombia, who have also tightened the economic noose to Venezuela.
Rubio’s fellow Floridian, Sen. Rick Scott (R), has also praised the president’s sanctions against the Maduro regime.
“Our sanctions are designed to inflict maximum pain on the Maduro regime, which was already withholding food, water, electricity," said Scott.
