This is the corrupt, illegitimate Maduro regime

The people of Venezuela took to the streets today to demand their freedom from the violent, authoritarian, and socialist regime of Nicolas Maduro. President Donald J. Trump has been monitoring the situation minute-by-minute throughout the day.

Earlier this year, President Trump officially recognized Juan Guaido, President of Venezuela’s democratically elected National Assembly, as the country’s legitimate president. Speaking outside the White House today, National Security Adviser John Bolton was clear on where America stands: “The President wants to see a peaceful transfer of power from Maduro to Guaido.”

Watch: This is the Maduro regime in action [Warning: Disturbing images]

Aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, Vice President Mike Pence echoed President Trump’s words. “As we stand here today aboard this ship, the people of Venezuela are seeking to reclaim freedom and democracy in their nation—a nation impoverished by dictatorship, socialism, and oppression. And so we say to President Juan Guaido, to all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela: Estamos con ustedes—we are with you.”

The United States has imposed tough sanctions on Maduro and his henchmen. The Trump Administration has blocked more than 100 individuals, entities, and aircraft controlled by Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, depriving Maduro’s cronies from needed revenue sources while preserving critical assets for the future of Venezuela.

More than 3 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015, and the United Nations estimates that number may swell to more than 5.3 million by the end of 2019. Nine out of 10 Venezuelans now live in poverty, with thousands of children starving. Under President Trump, America continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people, and food and medicine remain exempt from U.S. sanctions.

In January, Venezuela’s National Assembly invoked the country’s constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate and the presidency vacant. It is time for Maduro to honor that constitution and step aside, returning the future of Venezuela to its people.

Watch National Security Advisor Bolton deliver a statement on Venezuela.

More: President Trump is taking a stand for human rights.

Doubling your income taxes couldn’t even pay for ‘Medicare for all’

The House Rules Committee held a hearing this morning on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposed government-run healthcare plan. Americans should thank Congressional Democrats—for showing us exactly where they want to take this country.

The big idea of “Medicare for all” is to put Washington in charge of every American family’s healthcare. Specifically, here is what that entails:

Canceling the current health plans of 180 million Americans
Wiping out Medicare Advantage for more than 22 million people
Abolishing the Children’s Health Insurance Program
Ending Tricare support for U.S. service members’ families
Providing free healthcare to illegal immigrants

And to pay for all that, the American middle class would face a massive tax hike to cover the $32 trillion price tag. “Doubling all currently projected federal individual and corporate income taxes would be insufficient” to pay for this single-payer system, George Mason University’s Charles Blahous said at today’s hearing.

The fine print of “Medicare for all” that Democrats don’t want you to see

Read: Joe Grogan on “the trouble with BernieCare”

Photo of the Day

Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour

White House National Security Adviser Ambassador John Bolton speaks to reporters on events occurring in Venezuela outside the West Wing entrance of the White House | April 30, 2019