Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is facing backlash on social media after inaccurately stating that Venezuela lies “below the equator” during a foreign policy discussion criticizing Donald Trump in Germany.
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“It is not a remark on who Maduro was as a leader”
AOC made the remark on Sunday while participating in a panel at the Technical University of Berlin for the Munich Security Conference.
She argued that even though Venezuela is located north of the equator, the administration was not allowed to carry out a purported “act of war” since it is south of the equator.
She said, “We look at what happened in Venezuela for example, it is not a remark on who Maduro was as a leader. He canceled elections, he was an anti-democratic leader, that doesn’t mean that we can kidnap a head of state.”
She further added, “We cannot engage in acts of war just because the nation is below the equator.”
Ocasio-Cortez also made a point to make fun of Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the event for asserting, quite factually, that the present cowboy culture in the Americas was influenced by Spanish settlers.
In a special operations effort known as Operation Absolute Resolve, the United States seized Maduro on January 3 and charged him in Manhattan with conspiracy to import cocaine and narco-terrorism, firearm violations, and corruption.
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Conservatives criticize AOC
According to Dan Turrentine of The Huddle, she reportedly canceled rest of the planned media engagements after receiving harsh criticism from conservatives online. He added that she was not prepared to go on the world stage after none of her political supporters stood up for her.
A user on X, Marvel, wrote, “AOC’s statement that Venezuela is “below the Equator” is as disqualifying as a serious presidential candidate as Dan Quayle spelling potato with an “e” or Rick Perry being unable to name three cabinet departments.”
Another user, Brady Sneath, praised Rubio’s “gravitas” and wrote, “Someone with the gravitas of Rubio compared to either AOC or Newsome is quite a contrast.
Sneath further wrote, “For some reason, the Democratic elites have failed to develop serious, legitimate candidates. They still can win in the popularity contest of elections, but pity the nation if they do.”
Another user on X, NYC_Cowsheep, commented on AOC’s “unpreparedness” and wrote, “AOC shows up for her “Foreign Policy test” and either didn’t or forgot to Study. Not necessarily a career ender, but it showed how unprepared she was for Prime Time on the World Stage – at this moment.”