There is an "ideological" battle for the Western Hemisphere, and if the fight for control of Venezuela succeeds, there will be a "freedom march through Latin America that will be unbelievable," Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Tuesday.
"If you see what's going on in Nicaragua and Venezuela, you see the great movements that have happened in Columbia as it's now a strong country and Brazil and everywhere else," Kinzinger told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "The Chinese are putting people over here; the Russians, as we know, are trying to hold up corrupt regimes. We have neglected our hemisphere for too long."
Kinzinger said the Venezuelan opposition move, against President Nicolas Maduro, led by its two most prominent figures, Juan Guaido and Leopoldo Lopez, marks a "very serious moment" and will be an indicator of Central and South America's future.
"Keep in mind, the Russians have a small military presence in Venezuela," Kinzinger said. "The Cubans have sent thousands of people to surround Maduro to make sure he stays in power. So, this is a question for the United States, for the Venezuelan people to say this, are we going to be a hemisphere dominated by China, Russia, and dictators, or will we be a hemisphere dominated by freedom and democracy?"
The Venezuelan people are standing up and taking back their constitution, Kinzinger said, but he does think the U.S. must make it clear its military option is on the table so the "legitimate government of Venezuela will take effect."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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