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Leaders From America’s Largest Socialist Organization Met With Venezuelan Dictator Maduro

Left: (Spencer Platt/Staff/Getty Images) Right: (Carolina Cabral/Getty Images)

Greg Price Contributor
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Representatives from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) met Friday with Venezuela’s contested President Nicolás Maduro.

Participants in the meeting, which took place in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas, included the chairperson of the DSA’s National Political Committee, members of the International Committee, and members of the organization’s Political Formation, Foreign Policy and Bilateral Relations sections, local news outlet Telesur reported.

Venezuela has experienced widespread protests against the Maduro regime and nearly five million Venezuelans have been forced to flee the country under his rule due to food and medical shortages.

A fact-finding mission appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) said in September that they found high-level authorities in Venezuela responsible for atrocities that they believed amounted to crimes against humanity.

Former President Donald Trump recognized Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido and invited him as a guest to the 2020 State of the Union.

President Joe Biden designated more than 300,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. illegally for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in March.

Founded in 1982, the DSA is America’s largest socialist political organization that boasts a membership of nearly 100,000, as well as close to 200 chapters nationwide.

Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri were all elected to Congress as members of the DSA. (RELATED: Entire Staff Of Nevada Democratic Party Quits After Socialists Win Key Leadership Positions)

In 2016, the organization issued a statement of solidarity with the Venezuelan government, saying at the time “We call on the President and Congress to reverse these actions and stop seeking to undermine the Venezuelan people and their legitimate, democratically elected government.”