Vice President Mike Pence lit into Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) for blaming Venezuela's woes on U.S. foreign policy in order to defend the socialist dictatorship.

"The congresswoman doesn't know what she's talking about," he said forcefully.

"Nicholas Maduro is a socialist dictator who has taken what was once one of the most prosperous nations in this hemisphere and brought it literally to a level of deprivation and oppression and poverty that we have never seen."

"Nine out of ten people in Venezuela live in poverty," he continued, "three million people have fled Venezuela. That's not as a result of U.S. policies, that's a result of the dictatorship and socialism that has been imposed on the people of Venezuela by Nicholas Maduro.

"And from early in this administration President Trump has made it clear," added Pence, "the United States is not going to stand idly by while the people of Venezuela suffer under oppression and dictatorship and socialism.

"We've taken decisive steps and made it clear," he concluded, "Nicholas Maduro has no legitimate claim to power, and Nicholas Maduro must go."

Pence went on to say that he was proud that the administration was among the first countries to recognize Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela. At least 50 others have joined in acknowledging the legitimacy of the opposition leader.

Here's the video of Pence's comments: