Pence: Omar choosing ‘socialism over freedom’ with Venezuela comments

Vice President  Pence on Thursday hit Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) for her comments on the situation in Venezuela, saying the freshman congresswoman is choosing “socialism over freedom.”

“As Venezuelans take to the streets to stand for their freedom against an oppressive dictator, Democrat Congresswoman @IlhanMN chooses socialism over freedom,” Pence tweeted. “The Trump Administration stands with the freedom-loving people of Venezuela.”

As Venezuelans take to the streets to stand for their freedom against an oppressive dictator, Democrat Congresswoman @IlhanMN chooses socialism over freedom. The Trump Administration stands with the freedom-loving people of Venezuela. https://t.co/UYiPLPvKl5

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) May 2, 2019

{mosads}Pence included an interview that Omar did with “Democracy Now” with his tweet.

In the appearance, Omar said that the U.S. had helped put in place many of the policies that have “helped lead the devastation” in the South American country.

“A lot of the policies that we have put in place has kind of helped lead the devastation in Venezuela,” Omar told host Amy Goodman on Wednesday. “This particular bullying and the use of sanctions to eventually intervene and make regime change really does not help the people of countries like Venezuela, and it certainly does not help and is not in the interest of the United States.”

Pence and the rest of the Trump administration have thrown their support behind National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó as he tries to wrest power from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Guaidó, who has the backing of more than 50 countries, claims that Maduro’s 2018 election victory was illegitimate.