Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Newsmax on Wednesday that he hopes the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will lead to the country abandoning socialism.
"I'm happy to see Maduro gone," Paul said on "Rob Schmitt Tonight." He said he has warned before on the dangers of socialism. "I wrote a book called 'The Case Against Socialism.'"
"I have no love lost for socialism," Paul added. "I may be one of the greatest critics of socialism, so I'm glad he's gone.
But Paul said he was concerned that Maduro’s vice president is also a hardcore socialist and that it won’t make life better for Venezuelans, especially if money made from Venezuela’s oil flows right back into their government rather than into the people.
"Venezuela has been choosing socialists since the 1970s," Paul said. "I hope they will choose better."
"And I really think there needs to be an opposition, and I hope that will be part of this," Paul added.
"If your husband or brother or wife is imprisoned by Maduro and is still in prison, you're still going to be unhappy, particularly with the same government," Paul continued. "I hope for the best."
Paul said he wants freedom and democracy for the people of Venezuela.
"But above all else, I want capitalism for Venezuela so they can live a better life," Paul said.
The Kentucky senator was critical of the fact that Congress that the capture of Maduro was not authorized by Congress.
"Maduro was terrible but the separate issue whether or not we go to war in America at the will of one person or we go the way the Constitution intended, and that is that war is initiated or declared by Congress," Paul said.
"I'm a strict constitutionalist, and I agree with the result here," Paul added. "I don't agree with the process."
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Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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