>> THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM IS ON.
THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE HAVE MADE
CLEAR THEIR CONSTITUTION
DEMANDS THAT MADURO NOT BE THE
PRESIDENT AND THE UNITED STATES
IS PREPARED TO SUPPORT
VENEZUELA PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE THE
FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY.
>> Bill: SECRETARY OF STATE
POMPEO.
THE OPPOSITION LEADER SAID HE
MET WITH THE MILITARY.
WE ARE JOINED BY THE DEMOCRATIC
FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN SOTO
CO-SPONSORING A BILL TO GRANT
PROTECTED STATUS TO VENEZUELANS
COMING TO THE U.S.
WHAT IS THE REALITY ON THE
GROUND IN VENEZUELA TODAY?
>> CERTAINLY EVERYTHING IS IN
FLUX.
YOU HAVE PROTESTS GOING STRONG.
YOU HAVE A SERIOUS
CONSIDERATION BY THE VENEZUELAN
PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT GUAIDO
COULD BECOME THE INTERIM
PRESIDENT AND THE ILLEGITIMATE
PRESIDENT MADURO IS FEELING THE
MOST PRESSURE HE HAS IN YEARS
BY BOTH AT HOME AND IN THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
>> Bill: WHY DO YOU FEEL THE
REACH-OUT IS NECESSARY TO THOSE
IN VENEZUELA TO WELCOME THEM
HERE.
WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THAT
DEMAND FROM THOSE PEOPLE?
>> FIRST THERE IS MURDER GOING
ON IN VENEZUELA.
THE ECONOMY IS TRASHED, EVEN
THOUGH THEY HAVE SOME OF THE
BEST NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE
WORLD.
NO FREEDOM OF PRESS AND OVER
THREE MILLION PEOPLE WHO LEFT
THAT COUNTRY INCLUDING OVER
233,000 HERE IN FLORIDA AND
OVER A MILLION THROUGHOUT THE
UNITED STATES.
IT'S ON OUR DOORSTEP.
>> Bill: HE HAS DESTROYED THE
WEALTH IN THAT COUNTRY ALSO.
DID YOU SEE THE PIECE IN THE
"NEW YORK TIMES" FROM YESTERDAY.
STRENGTH IS IN UNITY.
GUAIDO WROTE IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT
THE SITUATION IN VENEZUELA.
MR. MADURO'S REELECTION MAY OF
2018 WAS ILLEGITIMATE AS SINCE
ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
HIS ORIGINAL TERM WAS SET TO
END JANUARY 10.
BY CONTINUING TO STAY IN OFFICE
NICOLAS MADURO IS USURPING THE
PRESIDENCY.
I KNOW YOU AGREE WITH THAT AND
EUROPEAN ALLIES HAVE OUR BACK
ON THIS AND SOME OF THE SAME
FAMILIAR PLAYERS ON THE OTHER
SIDE AS YOU KNOW.
HOW REAL IS THE POSSIBILITY OF
FURTHER BLOOD SHED THERE DO YOU
BELIEVE TODAY?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY BLOODSHED IS
ALREADY GOING ON.
YOU'VE HAD HUNDREDS OF
PROTESTORS KILLED JUST OVER THE
LAST COUPLE WEEKS BUT THE HOPE
IS THAT THE MILITARY WILL SEE
THE LIGHT OF DAY.
THIS WAS AN ILLEGITIMATE
ELECTION, THAT CANADA, UNITED
STATES, BRAZIL AND MOST OF THE
COUNTRY THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS
ARE NOW RECOGNIZING THE INTERIM
PRESIDENT GUIDEIO AND MAKE THE
RIGHT DECISION, THERE NEEDS TO
BE NEW ELECTIONS IN VENEZUELA
THAT ARE ACCURATE AND WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE DEMOCRACY
THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS.
>> Bill: WHAT IF MADURO
SURVIVES?
WHAT'S THE OUTCOME THEN?
>> IT WOULD BE DISASTROUS.
HE IS ALREADY A DICTATOR WHO
HAS GONE TO THE MOST GRUESOME
AND MURDEROUS MEANS TO STAY IN
POWER.
ONE OF THE CRITICAL THINGS IS
THE NEW SANCTIONS PARTICULARLY
AGAINST BILLION ELSE OF DOLLARS
IN REVENUE PROPPED UP THE
ADMINISTRATION ARE NOW CUT OFF
AND AVAILABLE POTENTIALLY FOR
AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS THAT HAPPENED SO FAR
ALONG WITH RECOGNIZING GUAIDO
AND OF COURSE HUMANITARIAN
EFFORTS TO GET DIRECTLY TO THE
VENEZUELAN PEOPLE.
>> Bill: LAST POINT.
HOW REAL IS THE POSSIBILITY OF
MILITARY ACTION?
HOW REAL IS THE POSSIBILITY,
CAN YOU FORECAST FOR US THAT
THE U.S. WILL BE INVOLVED?
>> A LOT OF DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS ON THE HILL WOULD
HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MILITARY
ACTION, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE
FOCUSING ON THE MAIN THINGS
WHERE THERE IS COMMON GROUND.
SANCTIONS, RECOGNIZING THE
CURRENT PRESIDENT GUAIDO AND
ALSO HUMANITARIAN AID.
IF THE MONEY RUNS DRY AND THE
MILITARY ISN'T BEING FED AND
FAMILIES ACROSS THAT COUNTRY
ARE STARVING, WE'RE HOPEFUL
THEY WILL MAKE THE RIGHT
DECISION.
>> Bill: YOU ARE DEALING WITH
AN ADMINISTRATION UNREPENTANT