NATIONWIDE — Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell made the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s attack on Venezuela and its abduction of President Nicolás Maduro Moros. 

“Far from putting America first, Donald Trump’s illegal attack on Venezuela is a reckless stunt to distract from private scandals and his failure to lower costs for working people. 

“The Trump Administration claims it targeted Maduro because of drug trafficking. But if Trump were serious about helping end the overdose crisis, he wouldn’t be kicking people off of Medicaid or defunding drug treatment and prevention programs. And he certainly wouldn’t be pardoning major narco traffickers like Juan Orlando Hernández. 

“Wasting billions on bloated military budgets does nothing for communities ravaged by addiction, or the millions of Americans struggling to cover the rising costs of health care. More military spending in South America will mean even fewer resources at home for the things working families need, like affordable health care, good public schools, and quality child care. 

“Breaking U.S. and international law in the name of regime change, even against a dictator like Maduro, makes us all less safe. Trump does not have the power to go to war without congressional authorization, or to hand control of another country over to a cadre of oil companies. This illegal occupation could destabilize the region, set a dangerous precedent in the U.S., and embolden other countries to start their own wars of choice. 

“We’ve seen what happens when politicians pick fights to enrich billionaires and big oil companies, knowing their kids won’t do any of the fighting. This is a moment for Democrats in Congress to stand strong, speak truth to power, and fight for a War Powers Resolution that ends this illegal military operation and asserts the constitutional power of the Congress. 

“If Trump’s lackeys in Congress won’t hold him accountable, then it will be up to the voters. The Working Families Party is committed to recruiting and running candidates who will put working people first, not billionaires or big oil.”