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Some Florida Democrats are furious with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who has refused to call Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro a dictator or to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country's interim president.
"I will clarify," said Donna Shalala, Democratic Representative of Florida. "@SenSanders does not reflect the majority of the Democratic Party."
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Guaidó declared himself acting president at a mass rally a month ago and immediately mobilized support from the United States and some 60 other countries that did not recognize Maduro's controversial re-election in 2018. Maduro became president of Venezuela after the death in 2013 of the Socialist Fort Hugo Chavez.
The unrest in this South American country has quickly become a hot political issue in the decisive state of Florida, where presidential elections follow one another and which is home to a growing number of Venezuelan refugees who have fled their country while the economy threatened.
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Shalala had no problem calling Maduro a "dictator" and said that he "must leave".
Sanders caused the latest backlash when, a few hours after launching his second presidential campaign, he was interviewed by Jorge Ramos of Univision.
Sanders did not support Maduro in his interview, but did not answer yes or no to the question of whether the Venezuelan leader is a dictator and should step down. He replied "no" when asked if he recognized Guaidó as the legitimate leader of the country.
State Senator Annette Taddeo told Politico that she was "stunned" by Sanders' comments.
"He is visibly helpless," added the Miami Democrat.
The Democratic Organizer of South Florida, Vanessa Rolon, has gone to Twitter to argue that "no one in Florida will take Bernie Sanders seriously" until what he calls Maduro to withdraw.
The Democratic Party of Florida, while not mentioning Sanders, issued a statement stressing that "the Florida Democrats have been unequivocal: we recognize Juan Guaidó as President of Venezuela, denounce the legitimacy of the Maduro regime and its efforts to stay illegally in power ".
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A Sanders foreign policy assistant told Fox News on Friday that "Maduro's violent crackdown on Venezuelan civil society and violations of their constitution is deplorable and unacceptable and that the United States must work with the countries of the United States. the region and the international community to support free and fair elections, and to address the growing humanitarian crisis. "
Speaking about Marudo's efforts to prevent humanitarian aid from the United States and other countries from entering Venezuela, the assistant said that "no excuse can justify refusing help." humanitarian. Bernie strongly supports the right to democratic self-determination, for the Venezuelan people and for the peoples of the world. "
But Sanders, by his help, warned against the possibility of military action by the United States, saying that "the Trump administration, even by suspending the possibility of military intervention, is extremely dangerous and irresponsible, and we should oppose it absolutely. "
Sanders, who has already called himself a socialist but now describes himself as a democrat-socialist, spoke favorably of Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.
This kind of conversation could be a problem for any Democrat who comes to Florida. President Trump won the state's 29 election-winning electoral votes in 2016. While Trump denounces Maduro and slams socialism as he holds a rally on Monday night in Miami, he could win early with key voting blocks.
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