U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement after reports about attacks to Leopoldo López and the arrest of Mayor Antonio Ledezma. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
"Maduro continues to trample on human rights in Venezuela as reports surface that the regime may attempt to move Leopoldo from his cell through violent tactics and has arrested the Mayor of Caracas Antonio Ledezma by force. The Maduro regime is crippling before our very eyes and its actions have become more aggressive as desperation sets in to attempt to silence the people of Venezuela who are yearning for democratic freedoms.
"These repressive attacks cannot go unabated and denote the repressive nature of the regime, which serves as a poignant reminder that the Obama administration needs to immediately and effectively enforce the sanctions signed into law to send a signal that we will not let these acts go unpunished. I remain extremely concerned over the well-being of Leopoldo and all the political prisoners in Venezuela and call on the U.S. and all freedom loving nations to strongly condemn Maduro for his reign of violence."