Rep. Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise MORE (D-Minn.) said Wednesday that U.S. policy in Venezuela “helped lead the devastation” in the South American country.

"A lot of the policies that we have put in place has kind of helped lead the devastation in Venezuela," the Minnesota lawmaker told the "Democracy Now!" news program.

"This particular bullying and the use of sanctions to eventually intervene and make regime change really does not help the people of countries like Venezuela, and it certainly does not help and is not in the interest of the United States."

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Omar has been critical of the Trump administration's efforts to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro out of office.

The U.S. has ramped up its sanctions on Venezuela and recognized National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó as the country's interim president.