On Wednesday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Cavuto: Coast to Coast,” Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) reacted to the Biden administration reportedly easing some economic sanctions against Venezuela by wondering why the administration would lift sanctions on a Russian ally while we’re trying to sanction Russia and arguing that money obtained due to eased sanctions would support the human rights abuses by the Venezuelan government that have caused an increase in Venezuelan migrants coming to the U.S. southern border.
Portman said, “I mean, here we have an administration that has had a war against fossil fuels, and particularly stifling the production of oil and gas production in the United States, and yet they seem to be interested in increasing production from countries that are, in the case of Venezuela, very aligned with Russia right now, at a time when we’re trying to put sanctions on Russia, and here we have Maduro, as one of Russia’s great allies. And as you said, it’s going to be dirtier.”
He added, “Well, the Maduro regime continues to violate people’s human rights. And this money would be used directly to support their efforts, including, by the way, with Cuban and Russian support — security support in Venezuela. It’s the reason, David, recall, that five or six million Venezuelans have voted with their feet and left the country. By the way, some of whom are now coming to the United States. We see bigger and bigger numbers at the southern border from both Venezuela and Cuba right now. Cubans coming in through Nicaragua, Venezuelans coming up from Colombia and through Central America. So, why would we want to be rewarding them?”
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