Rafael Cruz blames California drought on UN Agenda 21, 'Mother Earth worship'

A little-known United Nations sustainable development plan is behind California's worst drought in a century, according to conservative pastor Rafael Cruz.

"There is more than one way to confiscate private property," the father of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said last Saturday in Longview, Texas. "Have any of you heard of Agenda 21? Agenda 21 is all about confiscation of private property. It's all about the worship of Mother Earth. You know, in California they are trying to tear down all the dams to let the rivers flow freely. They've created a drought in southern California to save a little fish, a little minnow."

Agenda 21 is a non-binding action plan developed by the United Nations to promote "sustainable human settlement development."

Some conservatives believe the plan is a secret Orwellian plot to impose an authoritarian one-world government and eliminate private property. The Blaze, a conservative publication, was particularly concerned that the action plan called on "special interest groups such as women, indigenous people, the elderly and the disabled" to be included in decision making processes.

Cruz appeared to be referencing environmental regulations that restricted agricultural water diversions. Federal and state projects have diverted water from the fertile Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in northern California to farmers in the arid San Joaquin Valley and other regions.

The state has limited the amount of water that can be pumped through the publicly built and operated aqueducts to protect endangered fish populations. The environmental regulations were suspended by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) in January after he declared a statewide emergency.

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