| (WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, addressed a pre-conference meeting for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010, and expressed her strong support of critical Cuba and Venezuela provisions. Statement of Ros-Lehtinen:
“The Cuban tyranny has been and continues to be a self-avowed adversary of the United States.
“The last threat assessment relating to the Cuban regime's capabilities and activities took place over a decade ago and was led by Ana Belen Montes, a Defense Intelligence Agency analyst convicted of spying for the Cuban dictatorship.
“It is imperative that an accurate assessment be made detailing its relations with fellow state sponsors of terrorism; anti-American governments; and criminal and extremist groups so as to have a clear understanding of the threats this dictatorship poses to U.S. national and security interests.
“Similarly, Chavez has been brazen in his efforts to mirror the dictatorial ways of the Castro regime, including the pursuit of nefarious alliances with state sponsors of terrorism and extremist groups like the FARC and Hezbollah.
“Venezuela’s growing defense cache combined with its stated nuclear ambitions and demonstrated willingness to support anti-American groups and governments makes it critical that the United States maintain a clear understanding of exactly what is going in and out of Venezuela and to whom these resources are going.
“These assessments will enable us to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter these dual threats in our Hemisphere.”
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