ICYMI: Sen. Cruz: The Truth Still has Power, and We Must Speak for Leopoldo Lopez

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, yesterday spoke on the Senate floor regarding President Nicolas Maduro’s disregard and persecution of Venezuelans who exercise their fundamental freedoms. Specifically, he highlighted the plight of Venezuelan dissident Leopoldo Lopez, who was imprisoned in February for speaking out against his government. See excerpts below.
 
“Mr. Lopez freely expressed his criticism of Maduro’s failed leadership and for that he has been unceremoniously thrown into jail and faces a sham trial that could rob his four-year-old daughter, his one-year-old son of having a daddy for the next decade.”
 
“Leopoldo Lopez’ case is, unfortunately, not isolated in Maduro’s Venezuela. Forty-six people have been killed.  Thousands have been detained, and more than 100 are still in prison.”
 
“Maduro’s actions are those of a dictator who knows he is deeply unpopular, that his policies are a dismal failure, and that to survive he has to silence the voices who oppose him and offer a viable alternative who oppose him and offer freedom.”
 
“Now Maduro is trying to use a cloud of censorship to isolate Venezuelans from each other and from the rest of the world.  We should not look the other way.”
 
“The United States should do all we can to shine the bright light of truth and freedom on this repression by highlighting Leopoldo Lopez’ case.”
 
“We should not and cannot let this unjust persecution pass unnoticed, but, rather, we should help the people of Venezuela choose a different path – a path of freedom, a path of prosperity, and a path of friendship – that will return this one-time enemy, the nation of Venezuela, to its traditional role of America’s partner and friend.”

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