Beau Hawk, the Democratic nominee for Knox County mayor, has admitted to attending a 2020 rally in Caracas, Venezuela, in support of then-President Nicolas Maduro, according to Knox News.
The outlet reported that 35-year-old Hawk confirmed attending the March 2020 demonstration but said he regrets the decision, telling Knox News, “I was young and dumb.”
Hawk also disputed a quote attributed to him by the pro-Maduro publication Orinoco Tribune, saying the outlet misquoted him by attributing comments criticizing President Donald Trump and praising Maduro supporters that he says he never made.
“I can tell you that quote was not accurate. Those were words that were put into my mouth before it went into the Tribune,” he told the outlet.
The Orinoco Tribune attributed the following quote to Hawk in a March 12, 2020 article:
“I saw thousands of working people celebrating their revolution. From now on, when I hear Trump’s lies about the Bolivarian Revolution, I will always remember the people in the march smiling, holding up the Bolivarian flag, and fighting to defend their revolution,” said Beau Hawk, a delegation participant Teamster union steward.
Hawk told Knox News he traveled to Venezuela after being invited by people he knew through the labor movement and said the controversy is “an unfortunate distraction” from his campaign for mayor.
The report prompted a response from Republican mayoral nominee Betsy Henderson, who serves on the Knox County School Board.
In a statement posted to social media, Henderson said she was “shocked” to learn of Hawk’s participation in the rally, describing Maduro as a “self-described Marxist and murderous dictator.” She added that the incident highlights what she views as a clear contrast between the two candidates, writing that she “will always stand on the side of freedom.”
“It’s hard to believe that someone seeking office in Knox County would support such an evil government that has fueled the drug trade, violent criminal gangs, and human misery. It’s against everything we as Americans stand for,” Henderson said.
Maduro, who ruled Venezuela from 2013 until his arrest, was captured by U.S. forces during an operation in Caracas earlier this year and transported to the United States.
Federal prosecutors have charged him with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine trafficking, and weapons-related offenses. Maduro has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody awaiting trial.
The Knox County mayoral general election will take place on Thursday, August 6. Early voting begins July 17.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Beau Hawk” by Beau Hawk.
