North Miami-Dade News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), co-chair of the Congressional Venezuelan Democracy Caucus, introduced the bipartisan "Venezuelans Overcoming Interference and Corruption in Elections" or VOICE Act.

This legislation would impose sanctions on Maduro regime officials responsible for attempting to prohibit the participation of opposition candidates, including María Corina Machado, Henrique Capriles, and Freddy Superlano, in the anticipated 2024 presidential elections.

"In the face of the regime's renewed tactics to eliminate political opposition and steal the 2024 elections, the United States must support María Corina Machado and all those risking their lives to confront the dictatorship," said Congresswoman Salazar. "The VOICE Act refocuses attention on Venezuela so that dictator Maduro and his gang of criminals do not continue to escape with the looting and destruction of the country."

"Backed by the most dangerous adversaries of the United States, Maduro and his henchmen continue to use the dictator's playbook to the detriment of the Venezuelan people," said Representative Wasserman Schultz. "This legislation draws a red line when it comes to their desperate attempts to cling to power by depriving their opponents of their rights. The United States and our allies must stand united in our efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela."

Opposition leaders in Venezuela have faced years of violence, censorship, imprisonment, and exile at the hands of Maduro's socialist dictatorship. The opposition has put aside their political differences and invested in this process, which has included two presidential debates and the registration of millions of voters, with the goal of achieving a consensus candidate.

The Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) and other regime entities have continued to prohibit the participation of opposition candidates in elections. Maduro has ordered the mobilization of pro-government militias for a "peace campaign," and the regime has blocked opposition websites in an apparent attempt to suppress the vote in the opposition primaries scheduled for October.

The VOICE Act would support free elections in Venezuela by:

• Expressing the consensus position of the United States that attempts to undermine Venezuelan democracy deserve condemnation, and the Venezuelan people deserve support in their efforts to advance democracy and use peaceful and electoral methods to achieve their goals.
• Imposing asset-blocking sanctions and visa restrictions on anyone involved in efforts to prohibit the participation of opposition candidates in Venezuelan elections.
• Providing coordination between the United States and democratic partners in Europe and the Western Hemisphere, as well as multilateral institutions such as the Organization of American States, to provide technical assistance in election administration, ensure the integrity and security of voter information, deploy election observers, and document attempts to suppress opposition votes.
• Establishing conditions for what the United States considers a resolution to the political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
• Requiring the appointment of a Special Envoy for Venezuela to coordinate political initiatives, oversee political negotiations, and assist with consular issues for Venezuelan Americans and Venezuelan migrants and refugees in third countries.
• Generating a report on promoting independent news and countering malign foreign influence in Venezuela.

As Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Representative Salazar focuses on assisting people suffering under socialist regimes like those in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. She has sponsored numerous laws to achieve this goal in Venezuela and to advocate for the exiled community, including the AFFECT Human Rights in Venezuela Act and the Venezuelan Adjustment Act.

The full text can be found here.

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About Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar:

Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar represents Florida's 27th congressional district. As a strong advocate for human rights and democracy, she works tirelessly to support the Venezuelan people and other communities suffering under oppressive regimes. For more information, visit https://salazar.house.gov/.

About the VOICE Act:

The VOICE Act is a bipartisan legislation introduced by Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz to support free and fair elections in Venezuela. For more information, read the full text of the bill here.

About the Congressional Venezuelan Democracy Caucus:

The Congressional Venezuelan Democracy Caucus, co-chaired by Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is a bipartisan group of lawmakers dedicated to promoting democracy, human rights, and freedom in Venezuela. For more information, visit https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/congressional-venezuelan-democracy-caucus.