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RNC slams Democratic congressman voicing sympathy for Chavez
Republicans slammed Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday after the Bronx lawmaker sent a tweet praising Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez shortly after news of his death was announced.
Hugo Chavez was a leader that understood the needs of the poor. He was committed to empowering the powerless.R.I.P. Mr. President.
— Jose E. Serrano (@RepJoseSerrano) March 5, 2013
Serrano represents the nation's poorest congressional district, and had accepted millions in heating oil aid from the Chavez regime to benefit his district. In 2005, Serrano invited Chavez to speak with constituents in his neighborhood while the Venezuelan leader was visiting a United Nations general assembly meeting.
“It’s simply insulting that a Democrat Congressman would praise the authoritarian ruler Hugo Chavez. Chavez systematically cracked down on the basic freedom and liberties of Venezuelans, nationalized private industries, and befriended anti-American dictators like Castro, Ahmadinejad, and Assad," said RNC spokesperson Alexandra Franceschi in a statement. "Americans should stand together with the freedom loving people of Venezuela as they hope for a peaceful transition to a democracy, instead of praising the former dictator.”
Serrano later expanded upon his tweet in a statement posted to his House website, in which he acknowledged that Chavez was "a controversial leader" but said his "core belief was in the dignity and common humanity of all people in Venezuela and in the world."
"Though President Chavez was accused of many things, it is important to remember that he was democratically-elected many times in elections that were declared free and fair by international monitors. Even today, people in North America seem unable to accept that Venezuelans had taken our admonitions to have democracy to heart and elected the leader of their choice," Serrano said.
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