Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., faces heavy criticism after dismissing fears regarding the crime spike. 

Desi Cuellar, a U.S. veteran and New York congressional candidate who is looking to challenge the congresswoman in 2022, told "Fox & Friends First" Wednesday that AOC's comments were "disgraceful."

ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ SLAMMED FOR CALLING CONCERN OVER SPIKE IN CRIME 'HYSTERIA'

DESI CUELLAR: "I mean, to be honest, it's disgraceful, it's her downplaying it all, saying that it's just headlines about percentage increases. It just goes to show that she's willing to dehumanize her own voters, just to reshape the narrative. And for her to say that it's just hysteria, as if it's all in our heads. And it makes her as cold and callous about people losing their lives as Cuomo was when he downplayed the COVID-19 nursing home deaths. 

I got tired of having somebody that claims to represent the Hispanic community, me being a Latino myself. It's just the fact that she calls up a Democratic socialist when socialism has destroyed so many Hispanic lives, families. I mean, it's just, I don't think that somebody who is embarrassed of this country should have any business holding public office. So I just I had to do something about it. And that's why I decided to run."

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE: