CNN anchor Dave Briggs quickly defended Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders when Venezuelan immigrant Daniel Di Martino claimed that socialist policies in the U.S. would lead us down the same road as Venezuela.
Di Martino wrote an op-ed in USA Today titled “Venezuela Was My Home, And Socialism Destroyed It. Slowly, It Will Destroy America Too,” and appeared on CNN’s “New Day” Sunday to address the current unrest in his home country.
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He explained that when he was a child, things had been much better — but even by the time he was 11 years old, there were days when the electricity went out and water would be shut off for days or even weeks at a time.
Di Martino argued that recent events prove the Maduro regime will only be toppled by force, saying, “Maduro has shown the last 24 hours he is willing to starve his people to cling in power. This has just shown and proven the theory that most people from Venezuela had — this regime will only get out of power with the use of international force.” (RELATED: Mike Pompeo Blasts ‘Sick Tyrant’ Maduro For Denying Aid To Starving Venezuelans)
But then the topic turned to something else Di Martino had addressed in his article — the idea that democratic socialist policies like those being advocated by Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders could be leading the United States down the path toward a similar situation.
“Look. There is no further proof of my argument than Bernie Sanders’ statement a few days ago,” Di Martino explained. “He refused to say that Nicolas Maduro was a dictator and refused to recognize Juan Guaido as the president of Venezuela. Something Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have done. This is really dangerous. Democratic primary voters really need to push out these radical Democrats from their party because not all Democrats are that way. I really urge bipartisan compromise on this issue because if we continue Venezuela with socialism and produce very radical socialist policies toward the United States, the United States might get closer to what we are seeing right now in Venezuela.”
Briggs jumped in then, defending Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders. “Now, just to be clear, neither AOC nor Bernie Sanders is pushing for a Venezuelan style of socialism,” he said. “They want the Green New Deal and Medicaid for all but you’re saying that is perhaps a path down that road — but it’s great to have your perspective. Daniel Di Martino, thank you for your time.”