. >>> the president of nicholas maduro march was a rare show of unity among opposition parties as our latin american editor lucia newman reports. >> reporter: it was called the march of the pots and pans. a fitting way to protest against the chronic shortages that force millions of venezuelans, to stand in queues for everything from milk and diapers to meat and vitamins. >>> we can't allow venezuela to turn into another cuba. >> reporter: yet given venezuela's acute economic and political crisis and the socialist president nicholas maduro's plummeting popularity rating the turnout was lack luster. opposition leaders had hoped that mounting discontent would bring out a large number of these people, low income venezuelans. who had grown tired of queues double digit inflation and increasing crime. proand antigovernment municipalities of caracas to gather and march from here but at the last minute decided dependence it as usual. preferring the protest from their comfort zone. in part, to avoid confronting the national guard deployed by the government to block roads and prevent what it say

socialist president hugo chavez and now his successor nicholas maduro venezuela depends on food from abroad but restrictions on foreign currency mean importers can't buy goods. president maduro is on a foreign tour asking china for loans and saudi arabia for help controlling dropping oil prices. while his food minister is trying to calm angry citizens. >> translator: we had some problems from the supply side no doubt but opposition is lying when they say, there is no food in venezuela. >> she doesn't agree she set up a twitter account to notify parents. >> i am always serving in pharmacies to find shampoo soap and medicine. >> the situation has hit rock bottom. monica villa mazar caracas venezuela. >> met in ryad, part of president maduro's tour of opec states. the two discussed strategies for stabilizing oil markets. the two had coordinated strategies to cover the drop in oil prices. >> i'm leaving optimistic because we've talked and listened to each other. we've reached detailed agreements for stage to strengthen opec. >> less than $50 u.s. a barrel. haiti was already the poorest c

yet given venezuela's acute economic and political crisis and the socialist president nicholas maduro's plummeting approval rating, the call to the streets was lackluster. opposition leadiers hoped that mounting discontent would bring out a large number of low income venezuelans from traditional government strong holds who have grown tired of queues, double digit inflation and rampant crime. >> this marks an invisible frontier between the municipalities of caracas originally the opposition called on supporters to gather and march from here but at the last minute decided against it, as usual, preferring to protest from their comfort zone. >> in part to avoid confronting the national guard deployed by the government to block roads and prevent what it says was an upauthorized demonstration in this part of town. leaders of the practicingmented opposition did their best to present a united front. >> maduro needs to step aside so venezuela can unite start a rebuilt our nation. >> the disappointing turnout indicates more than just protest fatigue. >> people are waiting for them to provide lead

just recently, venezuela's thug, nicholas maduro, jumped at the opportunity to request an exchange of a convicted criminal in the united states for the freedom of pro-democracy leader leopoldo lopez, who maduro jailed in venezuela. this is not the way to protect u.s. national security interests throughout the world. this is a way of putting them in jeopardy. when we equate unjustly imprisoned americans to battle hardened terrorists or convicted spies, we set a dangerous precedent for the world to follow. the cuban regime has already signaled strongly that it will not unclench its fist despite recent developments. on december 30, just 13 days after president obama's announcement, the cuban regime arrested nearly 60 activists seeking to express themselves freely. this in addition to the arrests of more than 200 activists on human rights day. ha that's rich. just seven days before the announcement normalizing relations. yet, the administration proudly and openly touts the promise but yet unproven release of 53 dissidents as a major breakthrough when in reality the net result will mean hu

nicholas ma dura says, we'll exchange lopez who, maduro, has imprisoned in venezuela for one of the criminals imprisoned here in the united states. think want to test us. they want -- they want to test us. they want to see what they can get for holding innocents in prison. look at the appeasements this nation has given to russia. they'll continue to act with impunity and our allies have turned away with us because instead of working with our allies we have been appeasing our enemies. so mr. speaker, in closing, i'd like for this congress to take a close look at that list of 53 prisoners and remember that even if that were a true list which it is not, it is not about 53. it is about freedom for all political prisoners, some of whose names we will never know. thank you mr. speaker and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the chair recognizes the gentleman from washington, mr. mcdermott, for five minutes. mr. mcdermott: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. mcdermott: mr. speaker, we are now