Florida congressional Democrats say they were ‘shut out’ of Mike Pence Venezuela event

The Florida Democratic Party is pushing back against the White House after Democrats from the South Florida congressional delegation were not invited to a Miami-Dade event dealing with Venezuela.

Democrats and Republicans alike from South Florida have been vocal in speaking out against Nicolás Maduro‘s leadership and have supported the Donald Trump administration’s decision to back National Assembly leader Juan Guiadó as the country’s rightful President.

The White House is continuing its campaign with a Friday “Venezuela solidarity” event in Doral. Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to speak and meet with Venezuelan exiles in the area. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez are slated to attend as well.

But Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo says congressional Democrats who have backed the administration’s vision on Venezuela were shut out.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue — but Vice President Mike Pence has made it one by shutting South Florida Democrats, including Congresswomen Donna Shalala, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, out of his meeting,” Rizzo said.

“Lawmakers in Washington and in Tallahassee have been working in a bipartisan fashion to help secure Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, and humanitarian aid for those suffering at the hands of the Maduro regime. In a time where our two parties can rarely stand together in solidarity, this should have been one of them.”

A local GOP official familiar with the organizing process says Democratic lawmakers at the state level were invited to Friday’s event.

Venezuela has been in turmoil ever since Maduro attempted to begin his second term as President following contested elections last year. While there has seemed to be agreement on the issue between Democratic and Republican legislators in South Florida, a spokesperson for U.S. Mucarsel-Powell says she never heard from the White House regarding Friday’s event.

“They didn’t reach out to us,” the spokesperson said.

“The Administration has a prerogative to announce and invite attendees to their meeting as they see fit, but it’s disappointing they are inserting partisanship into this when the South Florida delegation has shown unity and bipartisanship in responding to Venezuela and the crisis. It’s a shame the Administration doesn’t want to include top Democrats on the issue.”