Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz’s statement on Venezuelan government’s violence against its people

(MIAMI) – The alarming events of the past week in Venezuela are sending shock waves around the world, but particularly to our Miami-Dade County community, who is so tightly interwoven with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters. As the County Commissioner representing the City of Doral, which has the largest concentration of Venezuelans living in the United States, I want to express my solidarity with the people of Venezuela as they face the Venezuelan government’s violent acts of repression against protesters and political opponents. Outraged by the ever-increasing reports of human rights violations, violence and abuse of power on behalf of the Venezuelan government, I commend the courageous students and other Venezuelans who are standing up in peaceful dissent and urge the citizens of our county to stand in support of those who are demanding democracy and exercising their universal human rights.

Detaining; verbally, physically and sexually abusing; as well as killing those who are exercising their right to freedom of speech and assembly is anti-democratic and inhumane. Together, let us call on the Venezuelan government to refrain from violence and release all detained protestors, including opposition leader Leopoldo López.

My condolences also go to the families of those killed as a result of this tragic violence.