“The most important thing that came out of the dinner was the photograph showing the president and the vice president of the United States sitting down with regional leaders to talk about Venezuela,” noted AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth.

When it comes to the EU, OAS, and UN, responses to Venezuela’s crisis are mixed.

AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth discussed U.S. sanctions on Venezuela underlining that “it’s about raising the cost of behavior by the government in Caracas that the international community has clearly rejected.” 

“[The administration is] trying to strike a balance between showing concern and taking steps that will hurt the leaders of the regime—and not hurt the Venezuelan people," said AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth. 

The former Attorney General was a loyal chavista – now she’s fled the country, and Maduro has called for her arrest.

“In its zeal to consolidate authoritarian rule, the Venezuela government is hardening its course and is now clearly unwilling to tolerate those who advocate a different direction,” said AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth. 

As the diaspora grows in key districts, Republicans and Democrats eye newcomers as a powerful new voting bloc.