No, Obama never said Venezuelans have the government they deserve | Fact check
The claim: Obama said on CNN that Venezuelans have the government they deserve
A Sept. 1 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims a former U.S. president criticized Venezuelans.
"Says Barac (sic) Obama, in CNN interview: 'The Venezuelan people have the government they deserve,'" the post reads in part. "'The fight for freedom is not peaceful, it's a fight!'"
A similar post was also shared on shared on X, formerly Twitter.
More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page
Our rating: False
The supposed quote is fabricated, according to CNN. There is no credible evidence former President Barack Obama made such a statement about Venezuelans, and he didn't mention Venezuela in his last CNN interview in 2023.
No record of Obama Venezuela criticism on CNN
The Facebook post claims Obama discussed Venezuelans in a CNN interview. However, the last time Obama was seen in an interview on CNN was on June 22, 2023, with journalist Christiane Amanpour, a USA TODAY review found. The transcript of the interview shows Obama did not mention Venezuela or Venezuelans.
The interview mainly covered the U.S. election but also included a discussion about the future of democracy and international relations.
There are no credible reports of Obama criticizing Venezuelans, as the post claims.
“This Facebook post is completely fabricated,” CNN spokesperson Bridget Leininger told USA TODAY.
On March 9, 2015, Obama signed an executive order regarding threats posed to U.S. national security and foreign policy by unrest in Venezuela, including human rights violations and corruption. Obama's administration was concerned about the Venezuelan government's efforts to intimidate its political opponents. Even then, Obama did not criticize Venezuelans.
Fact check: No, Venezuela is not featured on Time Magazine's Aug. 5 cover
Venezuelans have been fleeing their country due to widespread corruption and rampant inflation, which has rendered it nearly impossible for many to meet their basic needs. More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014, marking the most significant exodus in Latin America's recent history, according to the United Nations UNHCR refugee agency.
The Venezuelan foreign-born population in the U.S. grew from 75,000 in 2000 to 490,000 in 2021, an increase of 554%, according according to the Pew Research Center.
In July, Venezuelan authorities declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the country's presidential election, but the U.S. recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the candidate who received the most votes.
The Atlanta-based Carter Center, which monitors elections around the world, said Venezuela's elections "cannot be considered democratic."
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Newtral also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
Bridget Leininger, Sept. 6, Email exchange with USA TODAY
CNN, June 22, 2023, Exclusive: Former US President Barack Obama speaks to CNN's Christiane Amanpour
CNN, June 22, 2023, Transcript Obama And Amanpour: Will Democracy Win; Christiane Amanpour Interviews Former President Barack Obama. Aired
White House, March 9, 2015, FACT SHEET: Venezuela Executive Order
White House, March 9, 2015, Statement by the Press Secretary on Venezuela
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.
USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No, Obama did not criticize Venezuelans in CNN interview | Fact check