Will Venezuela government crisis move voters to right?
The 2020 presidential election is expected to be one of the closest in history and with record voter turnout predicted every vote will count. High turnout will proliferate across states nationwide, but for Florida, one of the key battleground states, Hispanics are expected to become the largest minority vote and will hold the potential to sway the state. The most recent numbers ahead of the 2018 midterm elections showed 2.2 million registered Hispanic voters.
While Democrats largely count the Hispanic vote as part of their base, they have done little to address the crisis in Venezuela brought on by policies that they are aiming to embrace here in America. And with the margin for victory looking slim in Florida, broad stroke statements of disapproval and criticism of the Trump administration’s handling without the offer of real solutions will not suffice.
Venezuelan or not, many Floridians with Central American roots have a connection to socialism or communism, some having escaped it themselves. Where do Democrats stand and what will they do if elected to office to combat the crisis in Venezuela?
Elizabeth Warren labeled Maduro a dictator in January of 2019, but said the Trump administration’s idea of military action was “reckless” and sanctions “hurt those in need”. Instead, she said we should be taking real steps to support the Venezuelan people. Despite being the “I have a plan” candidate, it appears Warren had no plan; just one month later she came out in support of the Trump administration’s economic sanctions on Venezuela, but accused President Trump of sabre rattling.
Bernie Sanders criticized Venezuela’s election, but refused to label Maduro as the dictator that he is, saying that his administration would not be in the business of regime change. That’s right, Bernie Sanders would be a bystander as millions continue to suffer under Maduro. While Bernie calls himself a “Democratic Socialist” he warns that conflating it with Venezuela is nonsense.
Joe Biden is largely considered the frontrunner at this point, and has come out in support of sanctions and the migration of Venezuelans to America, but we should not allow the disaster that was Cuba repeat itself. If we allow Venezuelans to flee to America, Venezuela will remain under the control of Maduro’s corrupt regime as his supporters will remain in the country.
President Trump, however, stands in solidarity with the people of Venezuela and has taken real action. While President Trump supported a peaceful transition of power, Maduro’s corrupt regime made that impossible. As a result, he was forced to consider all options. In August of 2019, the Trump administration issued 30 rounds of sanctions targeting approximately 200 individuals and entities that have been exploited by Maduro and have exploited Venezuelans. The United States has revoked more than 100 visas belonging to former Maduro regime personnel. While Maduro has worked to prevent humanitarian aid and resources from reaching the people of Venezuela, the United States has worked to ensure access for everyone.
The Democrats running for President are taking their support from Hispanic voters for granted. By not addressing the issues that are important to these voters and by embracing the very ideology that has hurt so many they are marginalizing the group. Politico and other media sources indicate that the policies are pushing many former supporters to the right because President Trump validates their concerns and acknowledges their plight.
The Trump administration recognizes that socialism does not represent progress; rather it is a dangerous ideology that will always give rise to corruption and tyranny. Many Hispanic voters in Florida see that President Trump is all action, not just words as he commits the United States to stand with and support Venezuela until their freedom and democracy is actualized. His unwavering support for Venezuelans amid this crisis has not gone unnoticed. It should have a measurable impact on Hispanic voters across Florida. Venezuelan or not, Hispanic voters are familiar with the perils of socialism and should be willing to support a President committed to maintaining what makes our nation so great: freedom, democracy and free-market capitalism.