Thread by @ASI

Mike Pompeo is absolutely right to say it's "disgusting" that UK political leaders refuse to drop their support for Venezuelan dictator Maduro. The @ASI has been a vocal opponent of his socialist regime, most recently through our Venezuela campaign. Some highlights follow...

“In a centrally planned economy, the ruling class can use goods in short supply as a political instrument of control.” Short supplies are a feature, not a bug of the socialist system.
adamsmith.org/blog/venezuela…

It is ideological obsession with the extremist Chavista dogma which is responsible for the Venezuelan crisis. “Chavistas themselves, the party elite and military, are benefiting financially amidst the carnage.”
adamsmith.org/blog/venezuela…

“The Cubans are intimately involved in suppressing the opposition to Maduro’s rule. Cuban operatives actively torture dissidents, in addition to training Venezuelans in torture techniques.”
adamsmith.org/blog/end-the-c…

“Help, we need a boss here. We’re desperate,” said a forestry division worker for 17 years. “We’re so scared because we now know that all the government does is destroy everything, every business.”
adamsmith.org/blog/venezuela…

“Ranked 169th in the world by Transparency International in its Corruption Perceptions Index, with the seventh lowest score, Venezuela is one of the most corrupt places on the planet.”
adamsmith.org/blog/venezuela…

Healthcare has also gone to shambles. “Very little of the money goes to the Cuban doctors, the vast majority (96%) is pocketed by the Cuban state. This funding helped Chavez finance Cuban security and intelligence support for his regime.”
adamsmith.org/blog/venezuela…

Anyone who continues to support the leaders of this regime, that has led people in what was South America's richest country to starve, is disgusting. Secretary Pompeo was right to call supporters out today in London.