Lance Gooden, a U.S. Congressman, used his social media platform in early January 2026 to criticize both Venezuelan leadership and the Democratic Party’s stance on related international issues.
On January 3, 2026, Gooden posted a tweet outlining several statistics about Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro: “Nicolas Maduro’s record:
– 90%+ poverty rate
– Historic 130,060% inflation
– Second most corrupt country
– Most dangerous country in the world
Who does Ilhan Omar blame for Venezuela’s dire state?
The United States of America.”
The following day, January 4, Gooden addressed concerns about security and immigration policy in the United States. He wrote: “Joe Biden let Venezuelan Tren de Aragua terrorists take over apartment complexes in the U.S.
President Trump captures Nicolás Maduro, a narcoterrorist who killed Americans.
Guess which one Democrats are outraged by?”
Later that same day, Gooden criticized Democratic responses to several international events. He stated: “In one week, Democrats:
– Defended Venezuela’s dictator
– Ignored Iranian freedom protests
– Opposed Somali fraud investigations
This tells you everything you need to know about today’s Democrat Party.”
Gooden has represented his district through multiple election cycles. In 2024, he defeated Ruth Torres with 64.1% of the vote; previous victories include defeating Tartisha Hill in 2022 with 64%, Carolyn Salter in 2020 with 62%, and Dan Wood in 2018 with 62.3%. These results reflect sustained electoral support across four consecutive general elections.
