'Support diplomacy, not war' in Venezuela: Ilhan Omar

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON (AA) - Congresswoman Ilhan Omar shot back Thursday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for the ongoing situation in Venezuela.

“Just as in interventions past, those who oppose war are labeled supporters of dictators and haters of ‘freedom,’” Omar tweeted.

The congresswoman, one of the first two Muslim women lawmakers elected to Congress, has been under attack from the administration for her opposition to U.S. intervention in the Latin American country.

“As Venezuelans take to the streets to stand for their freedom against an oppressive dictator, Democrat Congresswoman @IlhanMN chooses socialism over freedom,” Vice President Mike Pence said on Twitter. “The Trump Administration stands with the freedom-loving people of Venezuela.”

The U.S. has thrown its support behind an ongoing military uprising aimed at ousting Nicolas Maduro from power led by opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Guaido issued a video message Tuesday alongside a small contingent of uniformed military personnel and armored vehicles in which he called for an uprising to end the "usurpation" of Maduro, and has continued to call for mass demonstration against the Venezuelan president.

He stressed it was the beginning of the final phase of the effort to oust Maduro, known as Operation Liberty.

“We saw this playbook in Iraq,” Omar said. “The situation in Venezuela is dire and the Trump Admin is making it worse.”

“We must support diplomacy, not war,” she added.